(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte school bus driver is being hailed for not being stopped by a deadly illness. 

“Don’t ever give up,” said Jim Hines, who recently returned to his route. Hines spoke the words during a recent event for staff members of the school corporation.

Hines contracted COVID-19 last fall. The symptoms were severe enough for family members and friends to expect the worse.

Though Hines beat the odds, he had to have his lower right leg amputated due to complications from the virus. But, two months later, Hines was fully functioning with a prosthetic leg. His therapists, who had never seen a patient bounce back with such tenacity, were astonished.

On the last day of school, Hines returned to see his students and ride the bus.

Hines told his colleagues, “things happen to us every day that give us reasons to quit, but it is worthwhile to remember why we pick ourselves up and keep coming back.”

He credited love and support from his wife, Barbara, and an outpouring of support from the school community for his quicker-than-expected recovery.