Andre Reynolds of Phoenix, Arizona, and Stephen Miller of Tifton, Georgia, are not just exceptional drivers for Hogan Transports Inc., based in Maryland Heights, Missouri. This year, their heroic actions have earned them the prestigious title of TCA Highway Angels by the Truckload Carriers Association, recognizing their efforts to assist fellow motorists in distress.
Andre Reynolds (Left) and Stephen Miller (right) Source: TCA
Andre Reynolds
On April 15, around 1 p.m., Andre Reynolds was navigating MS27, a two-lane highway near Utica, Mississippi, when a Ford Mustang suddenly swerved into his lane. The car was moving erratically, nearly stopping before careening off the road into a ditch.
“I almost hit him,” Reynolds recalled. “I didn’t see that coming!”
Reynolds quickly stopped to check on the Mustang’s driver and found the man experiencing a seizure.
“He wasn’t coherent at all,” Reynolds noted.
As another passerby stopped to assist, Reynolds instructed them to call 9-1-1. They stayed with the driver until the seizure subsided. The man, still disoriented, attempted to call his father, but Reynolds took over the phone to explain the situation.
“Gradually, he started to recover,” Reynolds recounted.
Once the driver was alert and able to walk, Reynolds continued on his way, embodying the spirit of selflessness.
“I wouldn’t leave someone in need,” he emphasized. “Helping someone doesn’t cost anything.”
Stephen Miller
Stephen Miller earned his accolade by extinguishing a blazing car fire. Just after midnight on February 21, he was traveling south on Interstate 75 in Punta Gorda, Florida, when a car sped past him and soon hit a dip in the road near exit 164.
“The car hit the dip, and I thought it crashed because there was a massive plume of smoke,” Miller explained. “I drove through the smoke, expecting to find a wrecked car.”
Seeing the vehicle stopped with smoke and flames emanating, Miller sprang into action. He halted his truck, grabbed his fire extinguisher, and rushed to the scene, even as other vehicles drove by.
“I jumped out, ran back, and used the fire extinguisher under the car, where the flames were,” Miller said.
When the fire escalated, Miller instructed the driver to pop the hood and continued using the extinguisher. When this did not yield results, Miller resorted to a unique solution—utilizing a 40-pack of bottled water from his truck.
“I put out the fire with the water bottles,” said Miller, who has a decade of trucking experience. He stayed with the driver until emergency services arrived, ensuring no harm came to both the driver and passenger.
“I was taught to help if you can,” Miller underscored. “We need to look out for one another.”
These inspiring stories of Andre Reynolds and Stephen Miller not only highlight their bravery and quick thinking but also serve as powerful examples of the unsung heroes among commercial truck drivers.
Source: The Trucker
