MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WUSA) - A Maryland bus driver is being praised for his final act of selflessness. He died of a heart attack while at work but not before making sure his passengers were safe.

Ruize Bell, 63, was a father of 10 who worked as a Ride On bus driver. He suffered a heart attack Wednesday while driving a bus full of passengers in Gaithersburg. He was able to pull over and stop the bus before he died, potentially saving lives.

Friends and family say they weren’t surprised to hear the last thing the 63-year-old did was ensure the safety of his passengers.

“He was actually able to pull over and stop and park it safely,” said Zhane Bell, one of Ruize Bell’s daughters. “I was like, ‘Dang, that’s my dad.’ Because no matter what, he thought about everybody else before himself.”

She adds her father was a source of comfort to everyone who knew him.

“It’s the toughest thing we’ll probably ever have to go through, but I know he’s still here and I know he would want us all to be strong,” she said of his death.

At work, Ruize Bell’s picture is now on display, surrounded by cards offering condolences for a person passionate about his profession.

“He loved driving the bus. That’s all he ever talked about was how many people he saw every day,” Zhane Bell said. “Just to see how everybody’s pouring in all the love and everything, calling him a hero, is really, really warming inside.”

Latika Ochieng was Ruize Bell’s supervisor at Ride On. The 63-year-old bus driver had worked for the Maryland County Department of Transportation since 2012.

“That really spoke to his character: to be suffering his own tragedy and to still think about protecting other people,” Ochieng said. “I don’t think people know how that could’ve gone in so many other ways.”

Ruize Bell is being remembered as a dedicated family man and community member. He loved golf, grilling and the Dallas Cowboys.