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Channelview HS band director meets man who spent hours with him in wreckage

Channelview High School band director Aaron Allison met the man who spent hours with him in the twisted wreckage of a charter bus.

CHANNELVIEW, Texas - Channelview High School band director Aaron Allison arrived at a Pensacola, Florida hospital via helicopter.

He met a day later with a man who spent hours with him in the twisted wreckage of a charter bus.

“He’s in great spirits, he seems like nothing really happened,” said Captain Brandon Thompson with the Elberta, AL Fire Department. “He’s truly a very strong person.”

It appears Allison tried to alert driver Harry Caligone moments before the bus plunged into a ravine, killing Caligone.

Student DeWayne Benson was on board.

“He was up front and was screaming “Harry, Harry, Harry,” said Benson.

Photos: Bus carrying Channelview HS students crashes

Thompson told us Allison’s only concern after the crash remained his students, despite his own serious injuries.

“The only thing Aaron was worried about was the kids,” said Thompson. “He wanted to make sure all the kids were off the bus and didn’t want to be dealt with until all of those were taken out.”

Thompson and about 50 other first responders worked the scene.

Many repelled down some 50 feet to get to where the bus ended up.

“And it was not a one man show,” said Thompson. “It was everybody, all hands on deck.”

Aaron’s personality is well known to his students.

Related: Community welcomes some students home after bus crash

Related: Driver killed after Channelview HS bus crashes in Alabama ravine

And Thompson said the two joked even as the band director was loaded onto that helicopter leaving behind his newest friend.

“In a distraught situation where you’re sitting there for three hours with this one person, we bonded,” said Thompson. “He’s family to me now.”

It’s unclear how soon Mr. Allison may be able to come back to Channelview.

Many of the students who were on the bus have gotten back.

Several told us they just need time to rest and recover.

A number of fundraisers are planned to help those impacted by the crash.

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