As we mark the 25th anniversary of 911 this month, this Rig of the Week seems especially fitting.
The truck is called “Our Fallen Heroes.” It was built as a tribute to the firefighters who put their lives on the line for others every single day.
This 2005 Mack Vision belongs to Dylan Mercier of Mercier Transport in St. Anne, Illinois.
For Dylan, firefighting is personal. His father, Ralph, spent years as both a paramedic and a firefighter. Dylan followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a fire department cadet at the age of 14. Today, he’s still an active firefighter.
But Dylan also grew up in farm country — and that sparked another passion: trucking.
So when he decided to build a show truck, he brought those two worlds together.
Under the hood is a stock Mack E7 427 engine, backed by an Eaton 10-speed transmission. Behind the Mack is a 2022 Wilson Pacesetter hopper-bottom trailer.
Although this combination was originally intended to haul corn and soybeans, these days its cargo is a little different:
It carries a message of remembrance.
Dylan uses the rig strictly as a show truck, taking it to parades, memorials and services honoring fallen first responders.
Flames sweep across both the truck and the trailer, and a thin red line runs along the sides. There’s a kneeling firefighter holding an ax, the firefighter emblem — and along the trailer, the words of the Fireman’s Prayer.
But all that customization serves a much bigger purpose.
It’s Dylan Mercier’s way of honoring a brotherhood that shaped his life — and remembering the firefighters who answered the call … but never made it home.
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Music track: Heroes by Sunova
Source: https://freetouse.com/music
Background Music for Video (Free)
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.