Goodyear to announce winner of Highway Hero Award at MATS

by Truck News

AKRON, Ohio – Goodyear is set to announce the winner of the 33rd Goodyear Highway Hero Award during the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS) in Louisville, Ky. on March 31.

The Highway Hero Award was established in 1983 and recognizes professional truck drivers who put themselves in harm’s way to help others.

“The Goodyear Highway Hero Award is the oldest and most prestigious honour of its kind,” said Gary Medalis, marketing director, Goodyear. “Goodyear is proud to recognize truck drivers who risk their own well-being to save people from dangerous situations.”

The three finalists for the 33rd Goodyear Highway Hero Award and their stories are:

Mark Cavanagh, a driver from Hillsville, Va. Cavanagh was driving his truck through Pennsylvania when he saw another tractor-trailer drive off the road and roll down a hill. The truck’s driver was ejected and was hanging from its mirror bracket by a belt. Cavanagh stopped his truck, went down the hill, cut the injured driver’s belt, and pulled him away from the damaged truck.

Dorian Cole, a driver from Los Angeles, Calif. Cole was driving through the Sylmar section of Los Angeles when he saw a Los Angeles Police Department motorcycle officer collide with another motorcyclist. The impact from the collision caused the officer to hit a concrete divider. To protect the injured officer from oncoming traffic and give paramedics unimpeded access to the scene, Cole positioned his tanker truck across several highway lanes.

Julian Kaczor, a driver from Utica, N.Y. Kaczor was driving through Jacksonville, Fla., when a car drove past him at a high rate of speed, nearly clipping his truck. The car crashed into a construction barrier and began to emit smoke. Kaczor ran to the car as it became engulfed in flames, which he tried to extinguish. As the fire intensified, he forced the car’s driver side door open, pulled the injured driver out of the vehicle, and dragged him to safety.

The winner of the award receives a special ring, a cash award and a congratulatory trophy. Each of the other finalists receive a cash prize and other items.

“We look forward to honouring our Goodyear Highway Hero Award finalists for their acts of bravery and naming this year’s Goodyear Highway Hero Award winner during MATS,” said Medalis.


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