‘He was selfless.’ Kansas City, Kansas, man who died saving two children identified
Bart Nill wasn’t surprised that his father saved two children from being hit by a vehicle before being struck and killed.
“He was selfless,” Nill said.
On Tuesday morning, Bob Nill was trying to stop traffic for children going to Christ the King parish school when he was hit in the 5400 block of Leavenworth Road.
The 88-year-old had been a crossing guard for five years.
The school said on social media that he was a hero.
Bob Nill grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and played football at Baker University. After returning to Kansas City, the father of three sons co-founded the Wyandotte County Sports Association and coached football and baseball.
For a short time after completing his career as a banker, Bob Nill worked for the Wyandotte County Appraiser’s Office. He retired and for about a year, he enjoyed sleeping until noon and watching Western movies, his son said.
But then, he needed some structure so he became a crossing guard.
Bart Nill said his father was dedicated to the job. One day when Bob Nill was having heart problems and there was no one else to cover his duties, he gave detailed instructions to his son, who filled in for him.
“He loved kids so much,” Bart Nill said.
Earlier this month, Bob and Bart Nill watched with excitement as the Kansas City Chiefs become Super Bowl champions.
Bart Nill said his father will be missed.
“He’s the kind of guy that would put a smile on everyone’s face,” Bart Nill said.
The incident is being investigated by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 9:40 PM.
