MTA Heroes: Metro-North workers reunite missing 11-year-old boy with family

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
NEW YORK (WABC) -- This week's MTA Heroes are a group of Metro-North Railroad employees who worked with the MTA Police Department to reunite a missing 11-year-old boy with his family.

Earlier this year, when a call came in to Eric Bunten, a rail traffic controller at the railroad's control center, he quickly contacted the train crew.

He asked Conductor Joe Meade and Assistant Conductor Ronny Garcia to check whether the child, believed to be on board their train, could be found.

The crew found the boy and stayed with him, helping him feel safe and comfortable and reassuring him that they would reunite him with his family.

MTA Police Officer Michael Roode and Sgt. Joel Salcedo-Reyes met the train and safely returned the child to his parents.



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