Georgia-based truck driver Ebern Wiley is being recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association as a Highway Angel for his quick thinking and heroic efforts to save another man’s life when an SUV crashed in front of him. Working out of Tulsa, Oklahoma with Melton Truck Lines, Wiley was on route when he jumped into action, proving that no matter where you are or what you do, true heroism knows no bounds.
On a cold February morning, Wiley witnessed an unbelievable crash involving an SUV pulling a U-Haul trailer. The vehicle hit a patch of black ice and in the blink of an eye was flipping end-over-end in front of the trucker’s rig. Without hesitation, Wiley pulled over to help.
“The next thing I know, instinct kicked in,” he said. “I’m thinking, this guy is probably gonna be injured — I keep a crowbar below my feet; I grabbed it and threw on a heavy reflective jacket and ran across the freeway through the snow.”
The trucker rushed to the crumpled vehicle where he found the driver trying to break the windshield and escape, but with no luck. Wiley told him to get back and then proceeded to use the crowbar he’d brought from his truck to break an opening in the windshield large enough for the man to exit the vehicle. Wanting to get the shaken man out of the cold, Wiley led him to his truck to get him warmed up while he called 911 and waited for first responders to arrive.
“He was all shook up,” Wiley said, noting that he appeared to sustain a mild concussion and bloody scrapes.
A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army as well as a longtime trucker, Wiley is committed to lending a hand where it is needed.
“Being military, it’s kind of in our nature to do things like this,” he said. “With him rolling over like he did, it could’ve been serious.”
Source: Highway Angel
