小猪视频

鈥淗ey Siri! Call Deb!鈥�

As flames began to envelop the back of the 小猪视频 Marching Band鈥檚 charter bus on Oct. 19, senior Glen Njeru barked the command into his phone while rushing 40 of his bandmates out of their seats and down the aisle toward safety.

Moments earlier, Njeru 鈥� an electric bass soloist and student leader in the band 鈥� had heard a 鈥渧iolent popping noise鈥� and smelled burning rubber. He thought maybe a tire had blown, so he called Associate Director of University Bands Deb Huber, who was driving behind the bus.聽

鈥淚 wanted her to know something might be wrong,鈥� Njeru said.

The smell seemed to fade, though, as the bus continued down I-95 toward Norwood, where the band was scheduled to make an exhibition performance at a high school marching band competition that Sunday afternoon.

But minutes later, the smell returned, and hazy smoke began to fill the cabin. Njeru and his classmates at the back of the bus screamed for the driver to pull over. As the bus pulled off an exit ramp in Westwood, black smoke outside the windows turned to bright orange flames.

That鈥檚 when Njeru called Huber back and started working with junior Elliot Lemke to evacuate everyone.

鈥淚 could hear everything on the phone,鈥� Huber said. 鈥淕len was calm, but very direct. He told me what he saw, and then he started shouting to the others to get off the bus. His leadership and composure under pressure were truly exceptional.鈥�

鈥淲e were all trying to stay together,鈥� Njeru said. 鈥淲e had our hands on each other鈥檚 backs, just pushing forward to get out.鈥�

Everyone escaped safely. Within moments, the entire rear of the bus was engulfed in flames.聽

Huber, who stayed on the phone throughout, said she was in awe of the students鈥� composure.

鈥淚 am extraordinarily proud of all the students on the bus for their calm, quick and courageous response during such a frightening situation,鈥� she said. 鈥淭heir ability to act swiftly and look out for one another demonstrates remarkable presence of mind and teamwork.鈥�

By the time firefighters arrived, the bus was fully ablaze. Dozens of students lost uniforms and personal belongings like phones, laptops and wallets that they didn鈥檛 have time to grab. Most of the instruments were spared, however, as they were in storage compartments near the front of the bus that did not burn.

Rather than cancel the show, the stranded band members decided to continue to Norwood and perform with 50 bandmates who were traveling on a second bus. That bus doubled back and got them to Norwood High School just in time for their performance.

Some of the students marched in socks because they鈥檇 lost their shoes in the fire. One of the competing high schools lent missing instruments. The host school provided them with food.

, Huber said, was 鈥渋ncredibly emotional, but focused.鈥� The audience gave a standing ovation 鈥� some in sympathy, others simply impressed by the quality of the show, she said.

鈥淚t was amazing how good we sounded,鈥� Njeru said. 鈥淚f you closed your eyes, you wouldn鈥檛 have known that we鈥檇 just come off a burning bus.鈥�

Director of University Bands Dan Lutz was inspired by the students鈥� ability to perform under those circumstances.聽

鈥淭o muster that level of focus after such trauma was an honor to witness,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat kind of mental and emotional control is a bit of a superpower that will serve them well in life.鈥�

Njeru, a music studies major from Lowell, said the performance helped the students process what had happened.聽

鈥淗aving something creative to focus on lifted a weight off me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t gave us something positive to pour our energy into.鈥�

Back on campus the next day, university staff helped students replace lost items and offered counseling resources. Huber and Lutz gathered the band to process the experience together.

A few days later, Chancellor Julie Chen presented Njeru with a citation for courage and leadership.

鈥淕len is an amazing example of our students,鈥� Chen said. 鈥淗e showed calm leadership in a dangerous situation, and he continues to inspire others through his teaching and music.鈥�

In the wake of the fire, support has poured in from across campus and beyond. A local music company donated replacement shoes and gloves, while a nearby college loaned the ensemble marching hats, known as shakos, so they could continue performing. The band鈥檚 uniform supplier is rushing to produce new shakos and will donate them free of charge, Huber said.聽

鈥淭he outpouring from alumni, colleagues and the greater band community has been remarkable,鈥� said Huber, who also credited Provost Joe Hartman for his immediate outreach.

鈥淗is prompt communication and support were invaluable,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e made sure the students had what they needed as we began to recover.鈥�

Lutz said the ordeal has brought the marching band closer than ever.聽

鈥淎ny shared momentous event, whether extremely positive or extremely negative, can serve to bind a group together,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut this situation 鈥� the juxtaposition of a traumatic event followed by 90-plus musicians focusing in unison to achieve a shared goal at such a high level 鈥� that鈥檚 the kind of shared experience that forges a permanent link.鈥�

Njeru agrees.

鈥淲e were all shaken, but we came together,鈥� he said.

A few days later, the marching band got back on charter buses and headed to Quincy to perform at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association state finals. At the event, the UMass Amherst marching band by playing 小猪视频 fight song, 鈥淩iver Hawk Pride.鈥�