A good Samaritan received recognition and a reward for saving the life of a Bronx bus driver just after midnight on New Year’s Day. 

Yomboque Pierre Bama says he was on board a Bronx bus at 181st Street and Grand Concourse when a man attacked Bronx bus driver Charline Alston. 

"He broke the window very quickly, and he grabbed the lady's shirt, and he was outside and started punching her,” said Bama. 

Bama says he got the suspect, Edward Guerrero, away from the driver’s side. He says they fought for over 25 minutes before police arrived. 

"I wouldn’t sleep if I just let him do what he wanted and leave the lady, I would feel ashamed,” said Bama. 

On Thursday, the Local 100 Transit Workers Union thanked Bama with a check for a few thousand dollars. 

Bronx bus operators also chipped in to say thank you. They say he prevented something more serious from happening and that they get spit on or harassed about four days a week. 

Local 100 Transit Workers Union President Tony Utano says they are pushing the state to pass a bill that would make aggravated harassment, like spitting on transit workers, punishable by up to a year in prison. 

 "We’re just here to provide a service to take people back and forth where they wanna go, we’re not here to be punching bags,” said Utano.