Brandon Kelly, a truck driver hailing from Odessa, FL, has been recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) as a true Highway Angel. While working for Hirschbach Motor Lines in Dubuque, IA, Kelly’s bravery and quick thinking shone through when he stopped to extinguish a raging car fire on the side of the road.
This tale unfolded on May 8, 2023, at approximately 11 a.m., as Kelly was cruising along Interstate 64 in Huntington, WV. Amidst his journey, a distressed man, frantically waving for help next to his Jeep Wrangler, caught Kelly’s attention.
“I saw smoke coming from the guy’s vehicle,” he said.
Kelly didn’t hesitate to safely pull off to the side of the road, calling 911 and grabbing his fire extinguisher as he exited his rig.
“He (the vehicle owner) was starting to open the hood of the vehicle to see what it was — I told him not to do that because it might feed oxygen to whatever was smoking,” he said.
Kelly extinguished a fire while speaking to the 911 dispatcher. As a former volunteer firefighter, he had the necessary skills to handle the situation. When the fire department arrived 15 minutes later, they praised Kelly for being in the perfect place at the perfect time. It turns out there was a gas leak in the vehicle and burnt wires. Though he changed professions and has been a truck driver for eight years, Kelly didn’t hesitate to stop and assist the driver.
“I was raised, if somebody needs help, it doesn’t matter what kind of help it is, just stop to see if you can offer some assistance,” he said.
Source: Highway Angel
