(NewsNation) — Every year, select truck drivers are recognized for the lifesaving roles they may play while on the job.
This year, three professional drivers — Anthony Blunnie of Knight Transportation, Dawna Jacobsen of Erb Transport and Terry Reavis of Maverick Transportation LLC — were named the 2023 Highway Angels of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).
The TCA said it was the first time in the association’s history that it recognized more than one person with the honor.
Blunnie was training a driver in Mississippi last year when he witnessed a van’s tire blow, sending the vehicle off the road and causing it to catch fire. He didn’t waste a moment and jumped into action, rushing to rescue the woman from the burning van.
Flames had already engulfed the inside of the vehicle when Blunnie reached the woman, broke the driver’s side window and pulled her to safety with another bystander.
“It was actually kind of scary,” Blunnie said. “It was all action, there was nothing really to think about. It was just ‘do it, do it, do it.'”
Jacobsen was honored for her role in helping rescue an injured 12-year-old boy who had crossed a highway on a snowmobile and was struck by a car.
Jacobsen said Friday on “Morning in America” that she was already slowing down to let a truck merge onto the highway when she saw something gliding toward her. She didn’t know what was happening, so she maneuvered her truck to avoid colliding with the object.
“It was quite dark,” Jacobsen said. “I saw lights moving all over the place, and it was not a car.”
When the snowmobile passed by, she saw there was no rider and instantly knew there had to be a body on the road somewhere.
“Immediately, I was looking for a body. At that point, I grabbed my headset, called 911 and knew right away we needed backup,” Jacobsen said.
As soon as she witnessed the boy lying on the ground with his mangled legs, she called 911 and communicated with the emergency responders while two other bystanders joined her in tending to the 12-year-old. She was also able to provide law enforcement video footage from her truck of the incident.
The third driver, Reavis, was honored for rescuing a crash victim who was ejected through an SUV windshield. The woman survived.
Both Blunnie and Jacobsen said they have never been trained for moments like this, and they relied on their instincts.
The drivers said they were grateful to receive the awards, but Jacobsen said she doesn’t feel like she’s deserving of it alongside Blunnie and Reavis.
“It’s a great honor, and I’m appreciative of it, but not deserving,” she said.
Blunnie said he just did what he would like somebody to do for him if he were the one in danger. He said he hopes his actions will help inspire kindness.