NASHVILLE — Professional truck drivers Tony Blunnie of Knight Transportation, Dawna Jacobsen of Erb Transport and Terry Reavis of Maverick Transportation have been named the 2023 TCA Highway Angels of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).
This is the first year that TCA has recognized more than one Highway Angel of the Year, and these professional drivers were announced and celebrated at a luncheon awards program that was held recently at TCA’s annual convention in Nashville, according to a news release.
TCA Highway Angel sponsors EpicVue and Northland Insurance introduced the TCA Highway Angels of the Year and standing ovations followed each driver.
Tony Blunnie
Blunnie turned a dire situation into a tale of heroism on Feb. 15, 2023, according to TCA. While training a driver on Interstate 20 in Jackson, Mississippi, Anthony witnessed a devastating crash that left a van in flames and its female driver in peril. Without hesitation, he instructed his trainee to pull over before grabbing his fire extinguisher and leaping into action, battling the fire and breaking the van windows to extract her from the wreck with moments to spare before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.
Dawna Jacobsen
Jacobsen’s heroic story happened on a fateful evening in December 2022, when Jacobsen was driving along Highway 11 in Northern Ontario and came across a harrowing scene, according to TCA. A group of friends had been attempting to cross the highway on snowmobiles but one hadn’t made it in time to avoid being struck by an oncoming vehicle. Upon witnessing the snowmobile accident, she immediately maneuvered her truck to shield the boy and signal to other drivers to avoid the scene, protecting him from further injury
Terry Reavis
Reavis came across catastrophic collision on Feb. 19, 2023, on Interstate 95 in Brunswick, Georgia, when he witnessed a pickup truck driving backwards across three lanes of traffic and got T-boned by an SUV, according to TCA. Reavis was one of the first on scene and didn’t hesitate to assist, rescuing three children and aiding an injured woman until help arrived. His 27 years of experience and training as a first responder enabled him to manage one of the worst accidents he’s ever seen, remarkably ensuring no lives were lost.
Each driver will receive a complimentary EpicVue satellite TV package that includes a 24-inch flatscreen TV, a DVR and a one-year subscription to over 100 channels of DIRECTV programming, including premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and the NFL Sunday Ticket.
Since 1997, TCA’s Highway Angel program has recognized professional truck drivers who have selflessly helped others while on the job. From each year’s recipients, one is selected as Highway Angel of the Year because he or she best embodies the spirit of the program.
Learn more about the TCA Highway Angel program at www.highwayangel.org. TCA Highway Angel program is sponsored by EpicVue, Northland Insurance and DriverFacts.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
