Trucker named Highway Angel for helping elderly couple

Mack ParksMack Parks

Mack Parks, a truck driver from Wichita Falls, Texas, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association for helping an elderly couple when their camper was on fire.

Parks is a driver for Melton Truck Lines out of Tulsa, Okla. On May 2, 2015, he was driving along I-65 near Franklin, Ind., when he noticed a camper being hauled by a truck was on fire. He drove up alongside the truck and noticed an elderly couple was unaware of the fire.

Parks got the couple’s attention after several attempts and got them to pull over. His experience as a volunteer firefighter told him the camper was too engulfed in flames to save it, so he focused on disconnecting the camper from the truck.

“I knew the camper had to be lifted off the hitch and the truck moved away fast to avoid the fire from spreading to the vehicle and causing even more damage,” Parks said.

Another motorist stopped to help Parks lift the camper off the truck. Unfortunately for the couple, all of their belongings were in the camper and were a complete loss, but because of Parks’ actions, the couple and their truck were saved.

Parks has been driving for Melton Truck Lines for 2 years after serving in the Army National Guard. For his willingness to help, TCA presented Parks with a certificate, patch, lapel pin and truck decal. Melton Truck Lines also received a certificate acknowledging that one of its drivers is a Highway Angel.

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