Trucking Heroes – 2018

Scott Wagner

I met Scott four years ago through a mutual friend. He was loud and crazy and I wasn’t sure I liked him very much. We started talking on the phone and I grew to depend on our daily talks. I started to visit with him occasionally at his terminal and during those times he would ask my assistance in feeding everyone there. That’s when I started to see Scott’s heart fully. During one of our conversations he asked me would I ever consider living on a semi. Without hesitation I said yes and there began our planning for me to join him on the road. I wanted our journey together to continue giving to others and he fully agreed. I convinced him to help a charity and it was his idea to do an auction. It was a rough start because no one knew us but we forged on. We started small; buying all the items ourselves. Our first auction netted $900 and we were thrilled. Our effects have grown to $17,000 this year. While those things are impressive, it’s Scott’s everyday demeanor around other drivers that makes him a hero in my book. Scott is the first one to offer a helping hand if another driver is struggling. There isn’t anything in this truck he would not offer another driver if it would help them out even the shirt off his back, literally. If anyone is counting change to pay for something he buys it. He will strike up a conversation with someone at dinner time and pay for their meal because he can. Just pay it forward is his reply. Once I found him in tears and he asked me does anyone notice the good I do? I do was my reply. The best thing we can do is witness someone’s character and remind them of it when they lose their way. Scott has a gruff exterior but within him lives a heart of gold.

Patrick McCullough

Safe driver and well known for safety

Glen Salyers is my Grandfather. He grew up quickly and enlisted in the Navy at 17 to fight in the Pacific during WWII.

Like many soldiers Glen returned home and decided that Truck Driving would be a way that he could provide for his wife and five children. To his children he was dad. He set the example for them by showing them love and what hard work looked like.

On the road he was known as Driftwood(his handle) for Mason Dixon lines. He drove several million miles and was an accident free driver his entire career. Delivering on time and safely was of the upmost importance to him for 30+ years.

Today Glen is 92 and retired. He lives a quiet life in Kingsport TN but his eyes light up when he tells me the stories of when he was a trucking man.

My husband and I have been together 15 yrs, married 5. He is my hero cause he puts his life on the line to deliver all over the U.S. We have 3 daughters together. He loves what he does and I support that he drives!. I have several drivers a part of my life but he is the one that has made the most impact on me! For that I want to say thank you, and I love you hunny. Drive safe ya’ll!

Duane is the epiphany of a trucking hero. He goes above and beyond and takes us along with him on the open road by writing poetry to go along with the pictures of his travels.Duane has won the battle with cancer and uses his experience to help offer assistance to others struggling.Duane is extremely humble and is always willing to lend others a helping hand. He takes every opportunity to better the community by donating to various charities and also volunteers and helps at events to educate the public how to drive safely around big trucks. Duane is not only a hero in our eyes, but has wore many hats in his lifetime, an army veteran and a family man- having extending his huge heart to our team, his wife, children, grandchildren and all of the drivers and general public he has assisted and helped with words or his contagious smile.

Gary Smith

This man is a legend and is in his 70’s.  A trainer for new drivers arriving at Keim TS Flatbed.  He was my trainer in 2014 and over 4 years later, not one thing he stressed was over stressed.

Jason Short

I would choose this man for a number of reasons. He is one that would go above and beyond the call of duty to help others .
Not only on the road as a trucker whom looks out for fellow truckers but to the every day common man. He does that, at times, at sacrifice to his own family and to his own over all well being. He puts his own finances, job security, home security and personal reputation at risk, as well as, putting his marriage in jeopardy. He has taken not only myself under his wing during a very traumatic time in my life but has also taken in others. He is also a very active person in his community .This man came into my life at a time where I felt very much isolated and alone. Most everyone around me I either did not trust or they had little patience for me or visa versa . He opened himself up to me, giving me someone I could talk to and he helped me to try me understand things in my life . He tried and tries to give me guidance in many areas of my life even with his frustration with me and my lack of ability to move forward in some areas. In truth there are more than one who is a trucking hero but you’re asking for just one. I would like to say the support I have received from most all truckers has been phenomenal.

James is an Army veteran who chose to continue serving his country in the trucking industry after a medical discharge from the Army due to injury. James was a leader in the Army and is a leader in the trucking industry. He has an infectious personality and is one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. He was blessed with an opportunity to start his own company – Spartan Direct. James brings the same dedication and attention to detail from the Army to his new company. He wants to use his company to pay it forward and hire other military veterans wanting to enter the trucking industry. His kindness and generosity are evident in everything he does – from picking up and delivering chairs to a new church free of charge, helping a young girl with severe health issues get a service dog, donating thousands of dollars to a trucking industry charity and being available to other veterans that need someone to talk to. I’m proud to call James Rogers my friend.

My hero, Bruce Richard, came into my life 29 years ago. I was married at the time to a man that really didn’t know I was alive except when he needed me to do something for him. A friend wanted to move to Florida so we opened our home to this friend so that he could get on his feet and get a place of his own. So our friend became our roommate for a while. Well, the day came when our roommate found an apartment and moved out. On that day, I too, moved out not knowing what was to come. This was in 1989 when I found out that it was okay to be happy and also to be appreciated by others. I didn’t know that I could be loved by someone much for just being me. I didn’t know that I mattered. To make this story short and to the point , the roommate and I became best friends and got married 4 years later. And to this day I am very grateful for my husband Bruce. He has been there every time I have needed him. He has done things for me that I never thought he would have to do but when you love someone you love them during the bad times and the good times. So many people walk away when the bad times come and when they need you the most. I can honestly say that Bruce has been there for the good and bad and I know in my heart that he will always be there for me. And with that being said I will always be there for him like I have always have. Bruce is a very loving and caring person. When we first got married he had a job where he was home every day around 4:30 pm and off on the weekends. I thought it would last forever but the day came when he had to find a new career after working at the same place for 15 years. This is when he became a truck driver and for a while it wasn’t bad. He sometimes lived by the phone waiting for them to call him to work. This got old living by the phone so one day he got a job with a company that would keep him away from home for weeks. This is where things got tough for us because we were not going to see each other everyday like we have been doing for so long. I can still remember the day he left and said he would be back in 4 to 6 weeks I just stood there and cried inside. I didn’t want him to see me crying because I wanted him to know that everything was going to be okay and that I would be waiting for him to come back home. The best thing I could do was to support him on what he was doing for us. He needed to know I was there for him, too. Moving to the present time we are still together and it is still hard when it is time for him to go back out on the road. People often make comments about why does he call you every morning when he gets up and then every night before he goes to bed. Well, it’s because we love each other and I want his voice to be the first thing I hear every morning and every night. I don’t care if it’s midnight or 3 am when he calls. I just want to know that he is up and he is getting ready to start his day. He calls me again before he leaves the truck stop to let me know that he is on the road. We also call each other several times during the day and it’s all because we love each other. Bruce loves his job and he gives 110 percent of himself to do the best he can each and every day. He has received several awards during his driving career and they are special to him for the things that he has accomplished. But for me, he’s my hero and that is an compliment that is well deserved in more ways than one.

My husband is my trucking hero. He works hard to provide for me and our 2 little boys. He goes days without seeing them. Even when he is home he works on the truck, then spends time with family. Rarely takes time for himself. He would do anything for us. Very blessed.

Robert Burton is so much more than a truck driver. Robert is an owner operator, as well as, a great human being. He goes above and beyond to help anyone that needs him; not just in the trucking industry. Robert gives great advice to anyone that asks for it, whatever they be in a cargo van, sprinter, straight truck, or tractor. He reaches out to drivers in need and provides them food or money if they need it while miles are down.

What truly makes him a hero, is what he does every day . Anytime he sees someone that he needs help, he offers it: from the driver that had a severed battery cable, to the little old lady on the side of the road with a flat tire. He put himself in danger to put out a car fire in Texas. When he couldn’t put it out, he closed the highway to avoid other motorists from getting hurt. Why? Because there were numerous bottles of oxygen in that burning car.

He saw a newspaper article about a young girl from our town that was murdered. Her murderer was being sentenced, but she didn’t have a headstone. He set out on a mission and he bought that little girl a headstone, so she could get the closure that she so much deserved.

Once, he stopped on a hot summer day because he saw a broken down military convoy. They were working on their own vehicles, but my husband, Robert, emptied our refrigerator to give those men and women cold drinks on a hot summer day.

Too many of us rush through our day and forget about reality. Not Robert, Robert thinks to himself “What if it was us? What if we were stranded? What if we need help? Would people stop?”

Robert, after winning the expediter of the year award was handed $500.00 cash. He instantly handed this money back to Lawrence McCord, and told him to give it to the St. Christopher Fund. The giving never stops for him, it is just part of his life and nature.

I nominate Robert Burton. He is a great trucker, he loves his job, but most importantly he has a heart of gold to the people that know him, and to perfect strangers

Matt is such a fun loving guy and he always seems to have a smile on his face. Matt is a hard working family man and owner of Big Yetti Transporters in TN. Matt is a supporter of industry charities and is always looking for ways he can do more. He is also growing his business, bringing on several new drivers and helping them increase their success in the industry. What better way to give back than to help others drivers be successful.

Les Willis has dedicated years of service to the trucking industry as a driver, owner of Godspeed Expediters, and volunteer coordinator of the truck parking lot at The Great American Truck Show. Les’ company, Godspeed Expediters, are a vital piece of the trucking industry, hauling 911 critical loads that deliver life saving drugs, temp control shipments and so much more. He’s always at the ready to get these critical loads delivered to their destination on time. Les also spends countless volunteer hours making sure drivers have the best possible experience the truck parking lot at GATS. He wants drivers to have fun, relax, spend some time visiting and getting to know each other and enjoy a few days off. His love for the industry and the drivers shows in everything he does.

Rick Ash is a dedicated driver who has poured 30 years of service into the trucking industry. He is a true professional inside and outside the truck. Rick’s safety record speaks for itself with over 2.8 million accident-free miles. This is one of the many reasons he was chosen at a TA Petro Citizen Driver and had a location named in his honor. Rick also volunteers hours each year to the Great American Truck Show by coordinating and running the Health Pavilion. Rick is concerned about driver health and enjoys putting together the pavilion to make heath checks as convenient as possible for his colleagues. Rick is volunteer in his local community as well, helping out neighbors and checking on them. He was also voted as Commissioner at Advisory Commission for an Inclusive Community in his home state of Colorado. Rick is a great example of what it looks like to care about others and give back.

Jesus Lizarraga

My husband, always working hard for our family. 42nd Anniversary;  2 daughters and 4 granddaughters

This is my husband Tony Honaker. He is single handedly the hardest working man I have ever met. He has always been a truck driver and will probably die a truck driver. After being with me for only 6 months, this man accepted my parents into our home and he treats them with so much respect. My father is at a point in his life where he needs both my mother and I to care for him, and Tony has been making sure that I am able to stay home and be with my dad. He’s given so much of himself to better our family that it simply amazes me. He gives up all of his time for us at home. Last year, he passed a kidney stone while out in the road and still kept trucking along! He is my miracle.

My father is my trucking hero. Over 10 years ago he taught me how to drive a truck. With his love and guidance, he has helped me take my driving experience to places I never thought I would do. Four years ago the trucking industry and my family lost this amazing man to cancer. One thing he taught me that still stays true to this day with me is when you see a driver struggling don’t be afraid to offer help weather it be as a spotter getting into a parking spot or help throwing chains. Most of the time that will help make a drivers day.

My trucking hero is Steven Lassiter. He works hard to take care of his family.He’s also the only friend I have found that’s equally as crazy as I am. haha  Or maybe we are the normal ones

My husband,Hugo Vazquez, he is my big hero. He always works hard to provide our family with everything we need and I am very grateful that God was there to protect him from further harm in a truck accident. He is strong and is fighting to regain the movement on his left arm. Even when he is in pain, he always thinks of the well being of our family. I love him very much and I’m always going to be with him and support in every step of the physical therapy, I’m very thankful for everything he does for us.

My husband of course, but his best friend ,Toby Hunt is a pretty awesome driver as well! Toby Hunt is new to the industry and works hard to support his family. Prior service in both the Navy and the Army. Independent owner operator with Prime Inc.

This man, Travis Whaley, is mine and my kids hero. I’m glad to call him my bestfriend/ husband. We had so many awesome years on the road now I’m a stay at home mommy with four awesome kids. I love this trucker so much. He is an AWESOME father. I worry for him when he’s out on the road, only because of how others drive and due to weather in different states. With that being said, I will always have respect for truck drivers out there. Bless their hearts.

My trucking hero is my late husband. He battled cancer for a year and never gave up until the day he took his last breath. Watching his fight and the strength he had to face everyday as the cancer took his life, he is and always will be my hero. He  is watching over me and our 2 boys from his truck in heaven.

My husband of 23 years. Chris Anthony. You are my hero. You work harder than anyone can imagine for your company and your family. I love you very much.

This man right here, Juan Manuel Rodriguez, will forever be my Trucking Hero. He is my father. He was in trucking for over 20 years and the hardest worker I know. Back in the days he was a hardcore gear jammer. Any truck you put him in, he drove it with ease. Day and night,he worried about everyone under his wing. If he had a task or a promise he committed to, it’d get done. Coming from a non-English speaking family and jumping in a truck, he made his load assignment somehow, someway. With kindness in his face he’d be understood. He learned the language while trucking and has now stayed local to spend time with the family while enjoying trucking as his profession.

My husband is my hero. We met almost 5 years ago and married one day shy of our one year mark. He has always worked hard to provide for me and now me and our son.

My wonderful hard working husband, Kevin Lewis. I love you baby thank you for all your hard work you do for us ❤️

William Thompson, no words can express why he’s my/our HERO!

Dennis Roy is my hero.

My husband.

My hero. My rock #proudtruckerswife#respectfotruckers

My father who passed away on labor day last year and my wife Brandi Michael and kids who keeping me going on my dad dreams.

My husband and I contracted COVID 19 while working on the road. We were off work for 27 days. We were caught unexpectedly being off that long from the truck.

St Christopher’s helped us when we needed it most. Until this pandemic happened, we’ve never asked for help from charity or government aid. We’ve always been on the other side helping truckers who needed a shower or money for food, and have always tried to give back ourselves. We would not have it without the help of St. Christopher’s fund. We owe the organization a wealth of gratitude.