Every driver knows the highway can turn dangerous in an instant. In moments like that, the people behind the wheel often become the first to act. This year, several professional truck drivers were recognized as TCA Highway Angels for stepping in during emergencies, helping strangers in life-threatening situations, and showing the kind of courage that reflects the heart of the trucking community.
Here are the drivers whose actions earned them the Highway Angel title, along with the stories behind those moments.
John Patterson
Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Oklahoma
While heading to pick up a load in Tulsa on June 9, 2025, John Patterson watched two cars collide right in front of him. One vehicle ended up in a ditch and was filled with smoke. The door was stuck, and the driver was unconscious and bleeding. Patterson forced the door open, got the driver out, and moved him to safety.
“They were trapped; there was a little bit of blood, and there was smoke everywhere,” he said. “That’s why I got them out because there was smoke everywhere.”
The second vehicle had crashed into another ditch with two passengers who only spoke French. Patterson broke the window, pulled them out, and used his medical kit to treat their injuries.
“Somebody was in danger, somebody was hurt and stuck,” Patterson said. “If it were you, you’d want somebody to come help you.”
Dee Leatherwood
Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Oklahoma
On July 10, 2025, near Atlanta, Dee Leatherwood spotted smoke and sparks under a pickup. When the driver stopped on the shoulder, Leatherwood noticed a child’s car seat and reacted instantly. He parked, grabbed his extinguisher, and knocked down the flames before they spread.
“I looked at that car seat and luckily there wasn’t a baby in it,” he said. “I kept the fire as low as I could until the fire department arrived.”
His quick response kept the situation from turning catastrophic.
“I wasn’t worried about anything other than if there was a little one inside that pickup truck,” he said. “I would hope that anyone would do that in that situation, whether they had a fire extinguisher or not.”
Kevin Wojtasiak
Bay and Bay Transportation, Eagan, Minnesota
Just before dawn on June 29, 2025, Kevin Wojtasiak witnessed a vehicle completely engulfed in flames on Interstate 35 in Minnesota. He stopped immediately and helped the driver and three passengers get to safety, offering water and reassurance while waiting for emergency crews.
“They hit a deer. I saw a dead deer in the road, and all of a sudden I saw a flaming vehicle,” he said. “A fire extinguisher wouldn’t have done any good. The vehicle was totally engulfed in flames.”
With more than two million safe miles, Wojtasiak’s reaction was no surprise to those who know him.
“We are incredibly proud of Kevin for his heroic actions,” said Savannah Snelgrove, marketing manager at Bay and Bay Transportation. “He represents the highest standards of our company and the trucking industry as a whole. Being named a TCA Highway Angel is a well-deserved honor.”
Amy Cataldo
Boyle Transportation, Billerica, Massachusetts
Early in the morning near Amarillo on September 24, 2025, Amy Cataldo watched a truck overturn in front of her during wet road conditions. She slowed, hit her flashers, called 911, and ran to help the injured driver.
“His tires went off the road. It was in a construction zone, it had been raining, and there was mud from the construction on the road. I feel so bad for this driver,” she said.
The driver was disoriented and bleeding. Cataldo stayed with him and kept him calm until help arrived.
“The poor kid was really cut up. He was bleeding on his arms and his knuckles,” she said.
“What I did was what I would hope any other driver would do.”
Alexander Smith
Melton Truck Lines, Tulsa, Oklahoma
At about 2 a.m. on June 18, 2025, during heavy rain on Interstate 44, Alexander Smith watched a car hydroplane after passing him and another truck. The vehicle flipped multiple times before landing upright in the ditch. The other truck kept going, but Smith stopped and ran to the wreck.
“Honestly, after watching what happened, I thought, There’s no way this guy is alive,” Smith said.
The driver survived with cuts and scrapes and asked Smith to help find his phone. Smith got him out of the car, called 911, and stayed with him until responders arrived.
“I stopped because I was there,” Smith said. “Who else was gonna do it? I believe that you’re put in places for a reason.”
Kevin Olsen
Truline Corp., Las Vegas, Nevada
On June 4, 2025, Kevin Olsen saw a motorcyclist lose control and crash on U.S. 89 North in Garden City, Utah. With no cell service in the area, Olsen checked on the rider, who was having trouble breathing.
“I came to a stop and went to assess the situation,” he said. “He was having trouble breathing. I think it was as a result of the impact with the road.”
He provided ibuprofen and water and remained on scene for more than ninety minutes until help could be reached through another motorist’s satellite phone. He also slowed traffic to prevent additional crashes.
“I didn’t want to leave him hanging,” Olsen said. “I ride a motorcycle myself, and this easily could have been me. I felt like it was my responsibility to make sure he was taken care of.”
Jeanine Reinhard
Halvor Lines Inc., Superior, Wisconsin
At a weigh station in Kuttawa, Kentucky, on June 17, 2025, Jeanine Reinhard noticed another truck blocking the exit. When she walked up to the cab, she saw the driver was unresponsive and using an oxygen tank.
“I said, Are you okay? ‘” she said. “He couldn’t talk, so I said, Do you need medical attention”
She tried calling 911 and could not get an answer, but managed to reach the Kentucky State Police through another county. She stayed with the driver until first responders removed him from the truck and cleared the path.
“He was an older gentleman; hopefully, he was okay,” Reinhard said.
Terry Walde
Searcy Trucking Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
On May 27, 2025, around midday on Highway 1 in Saskatchewan, Terry Walde slowed for debris and quickly realized a cyclist had been struck in a hit-and-run by a semi. The injuries were severe, and another driver called 911 while Walde tended to the victim.
“I saw the bicycle and I also saw the guy lying there beside the bicycle,” Walde said.
The cyclist suffered fractures and had trouble breathing. Tire tracks showed the truck had run over the victim before leaving the scene.
“You could see the right tire tracks of the tractor-trailer went right over him on the grass,” Walde said.
Walde stayed for hours directing traffic until emergency crews arrived. Dash cam footage from his company later helped identify the hit-and-run driver.
“I’m old school, it’s the way I was taught,” Walde said. “We help each other.”
Recognizing Drivers Who Go Above and Beyond
Recipients receive a certificate, lapel pin, patches, and truck decals. Their companies are also recognized for their drivers’ actions. Since the Highway Angels program began in 1997, nearly fourteen hundred drivers have been honored.
Want to nominate a fellow driver or learn more about TCA Highway Angels? Visit highwayangel.org to read stories, submit nominations, and celebrate the heroes of the road.
Source: The Trucker
