ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has recently announced the newest additions to their Highway Angel awards. Darrin Gillmore from Barrie, Ontario, Canada is no stranger to the award. In fact, it’s his second time to be honored.
His heroic story begins in the late afternoon of May 2, 2024. Gillman and his trainee were traveling near Sintaluta, Saskatchewan, on the corner of Highway 606 and Highway 1 when they encountered a two-vehicle accident involving three people within 60 seconds of its happening. A man involved in the crash could remove himself from the vehicle he was in, which Gillmore and his trainee helped until EMS arrived.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for all three victims.
“I had my student pull over, so I grabbed my fire extinguisher, my bolt cutters and my first aid kit,” said Gillmore. “We went to the accident scene, and there was a lady that was fatally injured.”
The men proceeded to cut the horn and battery on one vehicle to prevent a fire. In the vehicle with the now-deceased driver was a teenage boy. Trying to help the teenager get out of the car, the men helped to calm him and attended to his injuries.
“We tried to keep the kid calm — obviously, he knew his grandma was dead,” Gillmore said. “We comforted him until the EMS showed up, and they took over from there.”
As a truck driver for two decades, Gillmore has seen or been at the scene of about three fatal crashes.
“I’ve been to many, many, many accidents, and I always stop, and I always help—I just do my best,” he said.
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.
