Veteran New York City bus driver Ronald Ruiz had countless encounters with passengers while driving the City Island route in the Bronx. At StoryCorps he recalls his most unforgettable rider.

Ron’s story is one in a series of real-life stories presented by StoryCorps and Upworthy reminding us #WhoWeAre—everyday Americans speaking to our best selves.

Click here to listen to Ron’s original StoryCorps interview.

StoryCorps and Upworthy, the mission-driven media company that reaches more than 200 million people each month, have joined forces to launch #WhoWeAre, a campaign to share the stories of everyday Americans, build compassion, and offer hope to a divided nation. #WhoWeAre calls on Americans to reach across perceived divides and listen to one another.

Click here to learn more about the campaign.