‘He was such a light’: Parents of Sussex boy run over by school bus speak about their son
By Nick Bohr, Amy Fleury
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SUSSEX, Wisconsin (WISN) — The parents of a 5-year-old boy who died after being run over by a school bus in Sussex have reached a settlement that includes a national bus safety campaign in their son’s honor. The settlement with the Hamilton School District and Dairyland Bus was announced April 22.
Finn Katona, a K-4 student, was transferring buses at Silver Spring Intermediate School in January 2025 when he tripped and fell under a bus as it drove away. His parents, Ally and Zach Katona, spoke publicly about the tragedy for the first time with WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr.
“Finn was just like a little force. It makes me happy just to say his name out loud. He was such a light. He was smart, and he was funny,” Ally Katona said.
“No parent should take their kid to the bus stop and not see him come home. There’s no reason for it. Any district, any state, any community,” Zach Katona said.
The Hamilton School District changed its bus policy the day after Finn’s death, eliminating K-4 student transfers. The Katonas said the district should have foreseen the danger.
“We never envisioned moving buses as those young kids were being transitioned. We imagined static buses, plenty of staff around, a bus buddy holding their hand. That’s not what happened,” Zach Katona said.
As part of the settlement, Dairyland Bus’s parent company will host training for its 23,000 drivers incorporating “Finn’s Rule,” which requires drivers to check bus danger zones when pulling away. Reminder cards featuring a diagram and Finn’s photo will be distributed to more than 130,000 drivers nationwide.
“But the picture on it to me is the most important part because it is Finn’s first day of school, he’s wearing this little t-shirt he picked out for his first day of school, and we buried him in that shirt a couple months later,” Ally Katona said.
The settlement releases the bus company, school district, bus driver and other potential defendants from future claims. The sides also agreed to an undisclosed monetary settlement for the family.
“I was hired by the Katona family with one request — to do everything I could do to ensure no other family would suffer the type of loss that they’ve suffered,” said Tim Trecek, an attorney with Habush Habush & Rottier representing the family.
Hamilton School District Superintendent Dr. Paul Mielke released a statement on the settlement, saying, “Our community continues to grieve the loss of young Finn Katona. His death forever changed our entire school district. Our thoughts remain with Finn’s family, friends, and all those impacted by the tragic accident. We remain committed to supporting and caring for one another.”
No criminal charges were filed in the case. Finn is survived by an older and a younger sibling. The Katonas are expecting another child later this year.
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