HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — When HART bush driver Schnaider Prophete and John Phelps eyes met Saturday evening at Skipper's Smokehouse, it was like two old friends seeing each other for the first time in decades.

"You my brother for life, you know that don't ya?" said Phelps, "You're my family now, OK?"

Prophete and Phelps' lives crossed on Tuesday when a passenger attacked the bus driver with a box cutter. That's when Phelps, who was a passenger, jumped in to protect the driver. 

"When I was in the hospital," said Prophete, "I said I wanted to see the guardian angel that God sent to protect me that day."

The two men shared hugs, handshakes and mutual gratitude for their service. Since both men are Army veterans, service comes natural to them.

"When someone's in need you've got to step up and help someone, you know when you see someone in trouble," said Phelps, "And my brother was in trouble and I was there for him."

Now both men who shared a traumatic moment in time plan to share a friendship for the rest of their lives.