When wildfires tore through California earlier this year, truck driver Landon Cheatham did not wait for someone else to take action. What started as an empty backhaul turned into a massive relief mission that helped thousands of families rebuild after losing everything.
Cheatham, an operations manager and driver for Alex D Delivery out of Salt Lake City, runs regular routes between Utah and Los Angeles. On one of those runs, he saw firsthand the destruction left behind by the Palisades and Eaton fires. Entire neighborhoods were wiped out, and families were stranded with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Instead of heading home with an empty trailer, Cheatham decided to fill it with donations.
A Driver Steps Up
On January 7, just two days after the Palisades fire broke out, Cheatham posted a message on Facebook.
“Hey guys! I run an empty semi to Los Angeles 2 to 3 times a week, and we want to help the people there who have been displaced, etc. Are there any businesses that would like to donate food or water, and we can transport them all? We’d love to help out. We have plenty of space, so please spread the word for all those who might want to help.”
By the time he got home to Utah, donations were already rolling in. Volunteers and small businesses stepped up, loading his trailer with bottled water, food, diapers, pet supplies, and other essentials. The response grew so quickly that Cheatham soon needed multiple trips to move everything.
“I want to thank everyone who has volunteered, donated, prayed, or given words of encouragement to us,” he wrote later. “None of this would be possible without you, wonderful people. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. We’re truly making a difference to the people of L.A.”
Utah Truckers and Businesses Join the Effort
Around 30 businesses joined Cheatham’s mission. His wife, Mackenzy, and his father, Karl, helped coordinate donations while his employer, Alex D Delivery, provided key support.
“While Landon spearheaded the project, Alex D Delivery provided the tractor-trailer along with covering the majority of the financial costs,” said company owner Alex Dettenmaier. “We did receive some financial donations to help pay for fuel. We were grateful for that and grateful for our community stepping up with donations for the fire victims. Landon organized a few donation drives, and we were honored to hold one of those at our warehouse, along with warehousing donations waiting to go out.”
The Impact on the Ground
Cheatham partnered with Lifting Hands International, a nonprofit that ships aid to people in crisis.
“Someone connected us with Landon, who generously volunteered to drive the aid to California for free. We were thrilled; his help made it possible for us to send far more relief than we otherwise could have. Without him, we likely would have been able to send only one or two truckloads,” said Traci Parson, Utah operations director at Lifting Hands.
With Cheatham’s help, that number jumped to seven truckloads carrying a total of 83,300 donated items valued at nearly one million dollars.
“Because of his efforts, we were able to send shipments of aid every week,” Parson added. “As the needs in California changed frequently, we received updates and were able to quickly send the most needed items each week. His kindness and determination turned what could have been a small response into a large-scale relief effort that brought comfort and hope to thousands of families.”
From the Cab to the Community
When Cheatham arrived in Los Angeles, he worked with Michelle Manos, executive director of the Community Solidarity Project.
“Even after his long drives, he was always in a great mood, ready to hop in and help, ready with a joke,” Manos said. “And he really did all of this for the right reason, because people needed help and he saw a pathway to help those people.”
Their teamwork continued for months as Cheatham kept hauling in donated goods on a weekly and sometimes biweekly schedule.
“What Landon did helped move L.A. forward as we began to grapple with the severity of the damage,” Manos said. “He created an opportunity so that people who didn’t know what to do or how to help suddenly had a way to help. It gave our organization a way to respond, and it gave the community members ways to volunteer with purpose. It ultimately created a need to better organize the abundance he was bringing, which led to us opening our free store called the Really Really Free 99, which is still in operation today.”
A Driver’s Determination
For Cheatham, the chance to give back came through the same career that gave him a second start.
After a serious arm injury left him unable to keep working in an autobody shop, he joined Alex D Delivery in 2018. He started out driving box trucks and earned his CDL three years later.
“I had to find something to pay the bills,” he said. “My buddy got hired as a driver mechanic, and I started at the company with a box truck.”
Today, he serves as operations manager but still gets behind the wheel when needed.
“I hope I made a positive impact,” Cheatham said. “I was surprised by the generosity of the people in Utah. Everyone was asking what they could do. No one cared about price or gave a thought to what they would gain.”
His boss, Dettenmaier, could not agree more. “We are proud we were able to serve the community of Los Angeles and proud of the big heart our Landon Cheatham has,” he said.
Parson added, “Landon’s example shows that when you see a need in your community and feel passionate about helping, your actions, no matter how small they may seem, can ripple outward and change lives. He is truly a hero trucker and a remarkable role model. He used his skills and resources to serve others extraordinarily, inspiring countless people to step up and help, too.”
Manos summed it up best. “When disaster strikes or injustice occurs, everyone is needed. Never think your skills aren’t a fit. Never think you’re too far or too disconnected. We’re all connected. Truckers move the world, and we’re all in this together. When you can, help someone.”
Image Source: Landon Cheatham, Transport Topics
Other Source: Transport Topics
