Hundreds of city and transit workers filled an Upper West Side church today to honor to a beloved MTA driver who was killed when his bus was rammed by a stolen truck allegedly driven by model Tyson Beckford’s nephew.
Union leaders stood solemnly as Pena’s casket was brought out of St Paul’s Apostle Church, where the husband and father was remembered as a generous and selfless worker.
Outside, a bus was draped with purple bunting.
Pena’s 17-year-career was cut short when Beckford’s nephew, Domonic Whilby, allegedly stole a truck after a night of boozing and partying with his famous uncle.
“There are no words to say how much he will be missed,” said Pena’s brother, Alex, who shared a story about how Pena once gave a down-on-his luck passenger $300. A few weeks later the passenger was doing better and was able to repay him.
“Who really does that these days? I know I’ve never done that. That tells you how great of a man William was.”
Pena’s wife Nancy and his daughter Gabrielle embraced and sobbed as colleagues and traded stories about the dedicated driver.
They said his priority in life was to pay off the mortgage on his Hillside, NJ home, and save for college for his only daughter, who is currently in her senior year of high school.
“He was more than a colleague to those who worked with him and more than a bus operator to those who rode his crosstown bus every day,” said NYC Transit President Carmen Bianco. “Looking out at the assemblage here, it’s obvious that he had the gift of making friends and brightening lives.”
Pena’s sister-in-law, Denise Bueño, an NYPD detective, shared her story of how she received the heart-breaking news.
“I was speaking with a lieutenant who was requesting information on a case which changed my life forever,” Bueño said.
“As he was giving me information on this fatal accident, he happened to mention that there was one dead person at the scene. My body cringed when I heard the location and the involvement of an MTA bus.”
Bueño asked the driver’s identity, and the response hit her like a thunderbolt.
“Right there and then I felt sick to my stomach,” Bueño said.”I have never felt so helpless, lost, powerless and overall pain that’s truly indescribable.”