Trucker recognized for stopping to help fellow driver during medical emergency 

A truck driver has been officially recognized for stopping to help a fellow driver experiencing a medical emergency. 

Truck driver Shawna Lewis was driving on Interstate 20 in Ruston, Louisiana on May 8th at around 3:30 p.m. when she heard that another driver had stopped suddenly in the middle of the interstate up ahead of her. The CB chatter suggested that the driver had possibly had a medical emergency, so Lewis stopped to see if she could help, reported ABC 7. 

Lewis says that the driver was unable to speak and was sweating profusely when she arrived. She contacted 911, checked his vitals, and tried her best to keep him calm and figure out who he was. 

“It didn’t appear to me to be a seizure,” Lewis said. “He had a strong pulse, CPR didn’t appear to be necessary… The only thing I knew was to check his vitals and look for medication,” she continued.

First responders arrived about 10 minutes later, and Lewis went on her way without ever knowing what happened to the driver. Now, the Truckload Carriers Association has named Lewis a Highway Angel for her efforts. Lewis said that stopping to help comes naturally to her, and that she is living out her childhood dream of being a trucker – just like her father was and her son is today. 

“Sometimes we even put ourselves in a dangerous situation,” Lewis said. “It’s just what you do.”