Heroic bus driver saves barefoot toddler from Milwaukee's 'most dangerous road' after the child ran out into traffic dressed in just a shirt and diaper

A Milwaukee bus driver sprung into 'daddy mode' when he saw a barefoot toddler running into oncoming traffic on one of the city's most dangerous roads.

Keyon Finkley, a Milwaukee County bus operator, was driving his usual Red Line route on a Saturday afternoon in late February when he spotted something unusual.

As he neared the intersection between Capitol Drive and North 83rd Street, a little boy clad in nothing but a pajama shirt and a diaper darted into traffic before getting spooked and running back to the sidewalk.

'It wasn’t no second thought to do anything but jump into daddy mode and protect that boy like he was my son, and to make sure he was okay. Everything else, I ain't care about,' Finkley told CBS 58.

As a father of four himself, with twins around the toddler's age, Finkley was worried. Temperatures had dipped into the 30s that day and the child was unaccompanied along one of Milwaukee's most precarious roads.

Keyon Finkley, a Milwaukee County bus operator, sprung into action when he spotted an unaccompanied toddler running into oncoming traffic along one of the city's most dangerous roads

As he neared the intersection between Capitol Drive and North 83rd Street, Finkley saw the barefoot little boy, wearing nothing but a pajama top and a diaper

An analysis found a five-mile stretch on Capitol Drive to be the deadliest in the state, with 23 people dying in 19 crashes over the past two decades

'Seeing that boy on that street, on Capitol Drive, knowing how busy and dangerous it is, sent a chill in my spine and got me scared,' Finkley explained. 

An analysis found a five-mile stretch of Capitol Drive between Hopkins Street and Mayfair Road to be the deadliest in the state, with 23 people killed in 19 crashes over the past two decades.

Finkley, who lives on Capitol Drive himself, knew how treacherous the route can be. He laid on the horn to alert other drivers before pulling into the bike lane.

He opened the doors and stepped out, snatching the little boy as he attempted to dart off again and carrying him onto the bus.

Finkley then phoned dispatch to contact the Milwaukee Police Department. As they waited for officers to arrive, he placed the child on a blanket in the driver's seat.

'My thought was more worry. OK, I got to get the boy safe – and at the same time keep the bus safe and the people on my bus safe,' Finkley told FOX 6.

Eventually a Milwaukee Police Department officer arrived, bundled the child in the blanket and carried him off the bus.

Finkley got back onboard and continued driving, seemingly unfazed in surveillance footage. In reality, he was shaken.

'Because that story could have ended very badly, and I’m just happy it was a happy ending,' Finkley said.

"I was able to save a little kid's life and that will always stick with me.'

Finkley pulled over and carried the child onboard before police were called

The father of four has twins around the little boy's age and said he was thinking of his own children at the time

Speaking to WWNY-TV, the bus operator said he was thinking of his own children at the time of the rescue.

'That could be my son, somehow got out of the house and I would want somebody to be there for my son,' he said.

'So, I had to be there for that boy and treat him like he was my son at that time, protect him the best I can until police get there.'

The little boy was reunited with his family. It is unclear why he was unaccompanied to start.

According to the Milwaukee County Transit System, the toddler was the 14th missing child a county bus driver has found in recent years.

'A lot of people saying you're a hero that day,' Finkley told WISN.

'I didn't look to be a hero that day. I looked to protect a little boy that day, and I'm happy that I was able to do that.'