KEY POINTS:
A six year old Greymouth boy's nap on the school bus turned into a family's worst nightmare yesterday.
Parents Teressa and Michael Rooney mounted a search when their son Tommy, a St Patrick's Primary School pupil, did not get off the bus with his brothers, William and Peter, outside their Milton Road, Greymouth, home.
"I rang my husband and he jumped in the car to follow the bus." He stopped it at Kumara and was told by the driver that Tommy was not on the bus.
"He called out, 'Tommy are you there?' and there was no sign of him. The other kids didn't see him either," Mrs Rooney said today.
At that point panic set in with family, friends and teachers from St Patrick's all out looking for Tommy.
St Patrick's principal Mary-Clare Murphy said she rang Greymouth High School to see if he had accidentally got off the bus there, but a search of the grounds did not turn up anything.
The school had also contacted the police, and nearby neighbours had offered to help in the search.
However, by the time the school bus reached Dillmanstown, 26km south of Greymouth, Tommy - who had slept through the entire bus journey - suddenly sat up and was seen by the driver.
Tommy's grandmother, Helen Noble, said while everyone was still out searching, the police station called to say he was on his way home in the bus.
"We were just so relieved. I rang Teressa and she passed the message on."
Mrs Rooney rushed home to wait at the gate for the bus and was joined by her husband and a school teacher.
When it drove down the road she could see Tommy with a solemn face sitting in the front seat next to the bus driver.
"He seemed fine, despite the drama," Mrs Rooney said.
"He woke up and just wanted a cuddle from his dad."
Mrs Rooney praised everyone who helped, including school staff, the high school, neighbours, friends and family.
"We're just so thankful to everyone. It's really appreciated. They all really went the extra mile."
She said the help and concern they experienced yesterday was one of the main reasons they lived on the West Coast.
"Everyone wants to help - they all care."
- NZPA
