Edward Ray - A Local Hero

Thursday, July 15, 1976, was pretty much another summer day as summer days go in the Central Valley of California. But by the afternoon, the day turned into the Darkest ever for the communities of Dairyland and Chowchilla. Across America, there were ongoing month-long celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of its founding on July 4, 1776. But as night fell on July 15, the celebrations stopped. There was but one news item and one headline that captured the nation's attention on their televisions, radios, and newspapers.

DAIRYLAND SCHOOL BUS GONE, 26 CHILDREN VANISH

A local Chowchilla school bus with 26 children ages 5 to 14 years, along with the bus driver, had disappeared.

Nearly 30 hours later, on July 17, 1976, Dairyland and Chowchilla rejoiced when the 26 children and their bus driver walked up to a night watchman at a rock quarry in Livermore, California, 100 miles away, all safe and secure.

That bus driver, Mr. Edward Ray, became a hero in our local communities of Dairyland and Chowchilla and nationwide. But, contrary to his nature, he did not act as the hero and was embarrassed by the attention thrust upon him by the media. Edward Ray, or just Edward, as the kids knew him, was a private, simple, hard-working man. He got caught up in a bad situation that July summer day and did his best to care for the kids in his charge. A story that turned tragedy into victory, all 27 became a focal point in National News. Edward Ray passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2012, in Chowchilla. He was 91.

Click HERE to read more about the 1976 bus kidnapping.