Charles Poland Honored in Midland City
By: Megan Hunter
Updated: March 15, 2013
Hundreds of people celebrated the life of Charles Poland Friday, the bus driver who was shot to death in January while protecting a bus full of children from Jimmy Lee Dykes.
Poland was honored at Midland City Elementary by many in the community.
Those closest to Poland got to hear of his heroic efforts and what his life meant to the students on his bus.
Poland's family said today's ceremony proves his life was not lost in vain.
Beauty is going to come out of these ashes," said Poland's widow, Jan Poland. "That's out of the book of Isaiah. My heart is in ashes and will be but I have faith because we have Ethan walking around and all of these other students and that is wonderful to know."
Over 400 balloons were released into the air in honor of Poland.
