Brian O’Leary, a professional truck driver for O’Leary’s Truck Service LLC, of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). He is being recognized for helping save a man who suffered a heart attack while driving.

On the morning of August 3, 2016, O’Leary was driving westbound on Interstate 80 near Maxwell, Nebraska. He noticed a straight truck drift into the median with no brake lights shining. The truck then smashed into the guardrails of the upcoming overpass, swerved into the westbound fast lane, and stopped. O’Leary slowed past the accident to park and looked over to see that the driver was unconscious. He called 911 from his headset and ran to the other truck. When he checked on the driver he was unable to find a pulse. O’Leary continued to talk to 911 and quickly unbuckled the man and pulled him from the truck onto the ground.

He performed CPR for over four minutes. “That was the longest 4 minutes of my life,” O’Leary said. Shortly thereafter, an EMT arrived along with another passerby with a medical background, and the three continued administering CPR until an ambulance arrived. After shocking the driver with a defibrillator, they were able to get a pulse and transported him to the hospital. Several hours later O’Leary was notified that the man had survived.

“Hearing that the man pulled through, that brought me to tears,” said O’Leary.

Since the accident, O’Leary has spoken with the driver and his family and learned that the man had suffered a heart attack while he was driving. They are forever grateful to O’Leary for springing into action and helping to save the driver’s life.

O’Leary has been driving for 44 years, and in 2004 he was named the Company Driver of the Year on behalf of TCA.

For his willingness to help his fellow driver, TCA has presented O’Leary with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decals. O’Leary’s Truck Service LLC also received a certificate acknowledging Brian O’Leary as a Highway Angel.