ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Mark Wilson of Hernando, Mississippi, has been awarded a TCA Highway Angel award for his courageous act on the job. Wilson is an American Central Transport (ACT) driver in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wilson’s heroic act occurred in the late morning of May 2, 2024. On I-70 near Marshall, Missouri, Wilson observed a passenger vehicle lose control and drive off the road into a ditch. Upon entering the ditch at a high speed, the car rolled multiple times.
Wilson pulled over onto the shoulder of the road, risking possible danger to reach the wrecked car and offer help.
“It end-over-end crashed,” Wilson said. “I was only 100 feet away from him by the time I parked,” said Wilson. “Fear took over because airbags were covering the window,” Wilson said. “I was afraid if I looked in, I was gonna see something I couldn’t unsee.”
Once he arrived at the car, he yelled into it and heard a response from the driver. Wilson noticed the driver was a large man who, to keep him responsive if he had severe internal injuries, told him that he was driving to Illinois to pick up his grandmother so she could attend his college graduation at a University in Nebraska. Wilson noticed that the man was pinned in the car and unable to get out on his own, so he grabbed an arm of his and started pulling to see if he could slide out.
“I pulled him out as far as I could, and I told him, ‘I need you to hug me like I’m your best friend,’” Wilson said.
Once the driver did this, Wilson pulled him out of the vehicle and stayed with him until help arrived. Emergency vehicles arrived shortly after, but the man refused treatment.
When thinking about why he stopped to help the man, Wilson said, “How could I just drive away? It just seemed like there was no way anybody could have survived that crash.”
Since the program was first incepted in 1997, and with the continued support from sponsors, almost 1,500 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels. These angels have displayed exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage throughout their careers.
The TCA Highway Angels website can be accessed at https://www.truckload.org/highway-angel/.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
