Denny Cattell of Altoona, Georgia, a professional truck driver for Bennett International Group, LLC of McDonough, Georgia, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). He is being recognized for his willingness to stop and assist an elderly driver and family.

On August 1, motorist Patricia Lister was traveling with her daughter and two great-granddaughters in their RV on Interstate 80 in Illinois when they came upon a large truck tire tread in their lane.

Due to traffic conditions at the time, they weren’t able to avoid it, and as a result, it completely removed the RV’s exhaust system. The family found themselves stranded on the shoulder of a very busy interstate.

Lister, a woman in her 80s, was struggling to push the damaged exhaust system off to the side. She said she was grateful when Cattell stopped to offer assistance.

“Being 85, 64, 4 and 2, we definitely needed help,” she said.

Cattell advised Lister that the 14-foot-long exhaust system could likely be repaired. Just then, an Illinois state trooper arrived and diverted traffic to the left-hand lanes while Cattell put the RV’s exhaust system on his truck. The family then followed him to a shop in the Quad Cities that he found via Google. Once there, he made sure the shop could manage the repairs before continuing on his way.

“She was quite thankful, and I was thankful no one got hurt,” Cattell shared with TCA.

For his willingness to assist his fellow driver, TCA has presented Cattell with a certificate, patches, lapel pin, and truck decals. Bennett International Group also received a certificate acknowledging the professional truck driver as a Highway Angel.