Bus driver shot on the job released from hospital, shares experience: “The bullet missed my heart”

Bus driver shot while driving sharing his experience

The heroic bus driver shot while driving a group of seniors through Philadelphia has been released from the hospital and is sharing his experience.

GERMANTOWN - The heroic bus driver shot while driving a group of seniors through Philadelphia has been released from the hospital and is sharing his experience.

Many are calling Oliver Matthews a hero but the 56-year-old from East Oak Lane said he was just doing his job.

"It’s like they are my grandparents," said Matthews. "Always complimenting me. Birthday and holidays, they always make sure their driver is okay."

Matthews works for Mercy Fleet and drives the same 12 to 14 seniors to and from the Germantown Adult Day Center six days a week, but on the morning of October 12, the bus drove right into the middle of a shootout.

"I heard gunshots, and a gunshot hit my bus and pinched me," said Matthews. "I called 911 on my phone and said ‘Hey listen. I just drove through a shootout. I’m in a big white bus. I said I think I’ve been shot. I know I’ve been shot because I felt a pinch.’ The 911 operator was like,'Are you sure? I said yes, I know I’ve been shot but I’ve got clients on my bus. I asked my clients, are they okay? Everybody is okay.'"

FOX 29 was in Olney for the aftermath of what is now considered a deadly shooting investigation. Philadelphia police said a second victim identified as Kejon Alexander, 32, died on November 12 exactly one month after the shooting.

The shooting happened near the intersection of North 3rd Street and West Ashdale Street around 8:53 a.m., according to police. The search for the suspect is still ongoing.

Matthews said he quickly got into high gear and drove the seniors away from the danger, finally coming to a stop about a mile away at 9th St and Roosevelt Boulevard.

"The police officer came, helped me out of my bus. Before I got out of my bus, I didn’t want to leave my clients but [the officer] said, ‘Sir you got to go, somebody is going to come,’" said Matthews. "I called one of my drivers and said, ‘Hey listen, I’ve been shot. Go get my bus with the clients on it.’"

Matthews said he was full of adrenaline, even walking himself right into the emergency room with a gunshot injury.

"The team here at Einstein saved my life," said Matthews. "The bullet just missed my heart. It came through, punctured my lung and my liver. I just thank God I’m here to tell my story and I’m just glad I saved my clients."

Now four weeks later, Matthews is recovering at a rehabilitation center after spending his initial three weeks in the hospital. He is learning how to walk and move again, after the traumatic injury.

"The world would have been a dark place without him in it," said close friend Dorian Buchanan. "I called him a hero. That’s the first thing I called him. He’s the most kindhearted, charitable person, volunteers his time. He’s just the best. Thank God he’s still here, thank God."

Family, friends and the seniors on his bus have been supporting him during the difficult recovery, including this GoFundMe campaign.

Mercy Fleet said Matthews was also nominated for a Heroic Efforts Award.

"My wife called me a hero, I’m like cut it out!" said Matthews with a laugh. "If being a hero is doing my job, I would do it again. I would do it again."