Fort McMurray school principal-turn-hero evacuates 15 stranded students to safety
It was a wild ride that lasted through the night. One that Lisa Hilsenteger, the principal of Father Turcotte elementary school, was in charge of.
On May 3, Lisa Hilsenteger woke up and made the decision to not wear her usual heels — not knowing what kind of day lay ahead.
That afternoon, after most families had picked up their children from school, including other students from schools that had already been evacuated, 15 children remained still waiting with staff. The youngest student was four-years-old and the oldest, 11. All the children took it in stride.
In principal Hilsenteger's mind, there was no decision to make, '"you just knew." As the smoke billowed in the school parking lot, the remaining children loaded into the school bus and driver Wendy Johnson headed north towards the bridge to get across the river.
When they made it to the bridge, blue skies were ahead, but the evacuation was not over. Although the road was closed, RCMP officers let bus driver Wendy continue, dropping off a few students with parents waiting anxiously.
With a handful of granola bars and oranges, the bus travelled north to Syncrude camp, a place that could accommodate lodging. But with thousands at the camp, the fear of water and food running out, crossed principal Hilsenteger's mind.
In the middle of the night, the south road was open. Hilsenteger had to make a decision: should they all head south?
With kids separated from their parents, they all agreed it would be best to hit the road again. They left in the pitch-black night — smoke and ash lingering — towards the fire. Most of the kids were asleep, but for Hilsenteger, it was a night she would never forget.
When all the kids were safe and Hilsenteger felt her "job was done," she said she could finally breathe. And while she was thankful for what she thought was an inconsequential decision to wear flats that day, she says when school can start again, she'll be wearing heels — pink heels, in fact, as one of her students often requested.
This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien.