January 30, 2016
Contributed Art /WTAE
Good samaritans form human chain to rescue truck driver from wreckage on Pennsylvania Turnpike during blizzard on January 22, 2016.
In the week since Winter Storm Jonas wreaked havoc on the eastern United States, dropping nearly two feet of snow in many parts of Pennsylvania, countless reports of both humor and tragedy have captured the attention of those who bore the brunt of the blizzard.
On the Friday night when snow began to fall across eastern Pennsylvania, a veteran truck driver – who has not been identified – was motoring along the Pennsylvania Turnpike about 20 miles east of Bedford when his tractor-trailer rammed through nearly a half-mile of guardrail and teetered on the edge of a steep hillside, WTAE reports.
Arlyn Satanek, a fellow truck driver and witness at the scene, described a dangerous mess in which a smoking truck was covered in hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel and debris was scattered along the slick roadway.
"At that point I was on my brakes with everything I had and hoping I didn't lose control," Satanek said. "I saw the truck out in front of me pretty much finishing his wipe out and cutting of the entire two lanes of traffic and angling down over the cliff."
When he got out of his car, Satanek found the driver trapped in the cab. One by one, several others stopped at the scene of the accident to rush to the aid of the imperiled trucker. By banding together in a human chain, they were all able to lift the driver to safety.
Assured of the rescue operation, Satanek stepped aside and snapped a photo that will forever serve as a reminder of what it means to be a good samaritan. And while the driver did sustain injuries in the crash, he'll be able to walk away with his life and faith in humanity intact.
