Bus driver in Victoria sends unique message to Olympic diver in Tokyo
Stephen Bains is the sort of bus driver who strives to say “welcome” to all his passengers, which has earned kudos from more than a few.
“‘Wow! You’re the only driver who turns his whole upper body to greet us!’” Stephen recalls one passenger saying.
Going above and beyond has been a priority for both Stephen and his girlfriend Celina Toth since they first met.
“Our determination and work ethics were very in sync,” Stephen says with a smile.
While Stephen puts metaphorical blood, sweat and tears into driving, Celina has invested the real thing into diving.
“She’s been working the last 12 years, seven days a week, on the Olympics,” Stephen says proudly. “When she was able to accomplish that, I knew I had to do something.”
While Celina was training to compete in Tokyo, Stephen was considering how to wish her well from Victoria.
“(I was thinking about) an amped-up slogan,” Stephen says. “And I know Diving Canada has ‘We Fly.’”
Stephen worked with BC Transit to use five double-decker buses (to represent the number of Olympic rings and height of her dives). Then he lined the buses up to make a message.
“It turned out great,” Stephen says. “It was magnificent!”
He posted a picture on social media and invited Celia to take a look.
“‘Cool Stephen. Another picture of you in front of a bus!,” Celina says with a smile in Tokyo, recalling her reaction.
“And then he’s like, ‘No. No, What do the buses say?!’”
The message on the buses said “Fly High Celina.”
“I just burst out laughing!” Celina says. “That’s super thoughtful!”
But then Celina started scrolling past the picture to the message that Stephen wrote. It praised her kindness and conviction, her strength and intelligence. Instead of laughing, Celina’s eyes started welling.
“It was a really difficult year with COVID and I wasn’t sure I was going to continue on (training),” Celina says. “I was in a very dark, low place.”
But no matter how low, Stephen was always there with “fly high.” Celina says it gave her a sense of hope beyond sports, which led to an extra boost to keep her Olympic dream alive.
“I say this is sports and relationships — never give-up,” Celina says. “If you want something, it will happen.”
And although the pandemic means Stephen can’t be poolside in Japan, his support from Canada is already making a big splash.
“If I can show (Celina) that although we’re not there, we’re with you, then, I suppose, mission accomplished,” Stephen says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.