‘You my little buddy’: Bus driver and kindergartner form endearing friendship

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - A school bus driver and a student in South Carolina formed an unusual and endearing bond.

The Berkeley County School District bus driver, known as Mr. Charles, became close friends with Kameron Eisenberg, a Cane Bay elementary student who just finished kindergarten.

Kameron is Mr. Charles’ second pickup and drop-off in the mornings and afternoons on his school bus out of over 70 of his students.

Kameron’s mother, Kelly Eisenberg, told WCSC his time in kindergarten did not start out like the average kid’s.

“We found that he was having a lot of negative behavior issues that landed him in the principal’s office several times a day almost every single day,” she said.

Mr. Charles says he noticed Kameron’s troubles and decided to step up.

“I said, ‘Look, you my little buddy,’” Mr. Charles said. “And I said, ‘We’re going to do this together and every day that you be good, Mr. Charles is going to have a prize for you on a Friday.’”

One of Kameron’s teachers, Stephanie Williams, a special education teacher at Cane Bay Elementary, said she would take Kameron out to the bus at the end of every school day.

“And ever since that day, there’s not been a problem,” Williams said. “He’s been fantastic and wonderful. Trying new things.”

Eisenberg said she feels comforted knowing her child is safe.

“It’s like night and day,” Eisenberg said. “And all it took was one special person to give Kameron a little bit of his time, and it just made all the difference in the world, for both Kameron and ourselves.”

Mr. Charles said when he switched school districts to drive for Berkeley County, he was looking for a new environment. Little did he know the reason would be Kameron.

“He’s very special to me and I’m just hoping that it’ll always be that way,” Mr. Charles said.

Williams has been teaching for over 20 years and has seen some kids really find mentorship in teachers or staff.

“I’ve never seen an instance where one child’s attitude, behavior and outlook on everything has completely done a 180 like Kameron’s did with Mr. Charles,” Williams said.

The two regularly have McDonalds and ice cream dates, and Mr. Charles even attends Kameron’s baseball games on the weekends. They have plans to continue that over the summer and go back to their routine on the school bus in the fall, where it all started.

“Love you,” Kameron told Mr. Charles.

“Oh, I love you too, buddy,” Mr. Charles replied. “I love you. Mr. Charles will always love you, man.”

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