The Truckload Carriers Association has named William and Becky Gregory, from Shelbyville, as Highway Angels for rescuing and caring for a boy following a two-vehicle crash that killed his father.

The Gregorys are owner-operators who drive team for Titan Transfer, Inc. Around 9 p.m. one evening, they were westbound on I-40 near Holbrook, Arizona, driving a load to California. William was behind the wheel and Becky was in the sleeper with their dog.

Traffic came to a stop and he moved to the slow lane. “There were four trucks ahead me,” he says. “I could see people running with fire extinguishers.”

Gregory jumped out and ran up to see if he could help. “Two cars had hit head on,” he says. The first vehicle was on the shoulder and the elderly driver was deceased. The other vehicle was on fire. “There were several people using fire extinguishers,” William said. He could see this driver was also  deceased. “There was a boy slumped down on the floor board, but we had to get the flames extinguished before we could get him out,” William said.

The vehicle was crumpled. The group worked quickly. Once the flames were out, one driver pulled up on the dash. The windshield was already gone. Gregory got the 10-year-old boy out and handed him to another driver who held him until help arrived. The boy was badly hurt, sustaining many broken bones. “We sat there and talked to him,” William said. “He kept asking for his dad, we told him people were taking care of him.”

Becky Gregory was awakened by their barking dog. “She got out of the truck wondering what was going on,” Gregory said. “We sat there and talked to the boy to keep him calm until the Life Flight arrived and took him.” The Gregorys learned a couple weeks later the child had several surgeries and was expected to make a full recovery.

“I’ve come across some rough ones (accidents),” Gregory says, “but this was the worst.” He’s been driving for 28 years. He and Becky have been married for 33 years and team driving for 20 years.  

• Since the program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,300 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage they have displayed while on the job. Thanks to the program’s Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, and Supporting Sponsors, DriverFacts and Drivers Legal Plan, TCA is able to showcase drivers like the Gregorys.