The children who owed him so much stood to attention as the body of bus driver Eugene McGreevy was brought to Drumlion parish church last night.
"He died saving lives," Fr Martin Mulvanney told more than 1,000 mourners, including President Mary McAleese, a cousin of the deceased, and his sisters Nuala and Mary.
Mr McGreevy was fatally injured when his school bus with 26 students on board was involved in a collision outside the village of Hillstreet, Co Roscommon, on Wednesday morning.
Students from Carrick-on-Shannon Community College who were on the bus journey with Mr McGreevy when he died formed a guard of honour, as did fellow bus drivers and other colleagues from CIÉ. Company chairman John Lynch was among the mourners.
It was a fitting send-off for the man whose 30 years' service ended so abruptly when he became the first Irish school bus driver to be killed on duty.
The gifts brought to the altar reflected his love of life. There was a replica school bus, a watch presented by CIÉ to mark 25 years of service and a beloved banjo he bought in New York when he went there to support the Roscommon GAA team two years ago.
"He did not have any children of his own, but in fact he had thousands of them," said local Bus Éireann inspector Paul Clarke, referring to the generations of primary and post-primary children he cared for in his 30 years driving buses.
Fr Mulvanney said the last few days had been traumatic ones for the family and many friends of Mr McGreevy.
"When something tragic happens we immediately look for an explanation. In Eugene's case the explanation was that an accident occurred. Thank God nobody else was injured. He died saving lives."
Mr McGreevy will be laid to rest in Ardcarne Cemetery after noon Mass today.