Beam Becomes 2-Time Highway Angel

Marcus Beam, a resident of East Bend, N.C., has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association. This is the second time this professional truck driver has earned his Angel wings. Beam, who drives for Epes Transport System, Greensboro, N.C., is being recognized for his quick action in saving a fellow driver from choking to death.

On the morning of Sept. 8, 2015, Beam was parked in line at the RJR Tobaccoville facility in North Carolina waiting for his turn to pick up a load. He noticed another driver to his right dropping and hooking to a trailer, and then all of the sudden, the driver started quickly walking towards Beam’s truck.

“I saw him coming toward me, and his face was blue and he was pointing to his throat,” said Beam.

Beam jumped out of his truck and began performing the Heimlich maneuver on the driver who was much taller than him. After lifting him up and hitting his back he was able to dislodge the piece of Brazilian nut that the driver had been eating.

“I was the only person out there at the dock, which is unusual, and I knew I had to do everything I could to help him,” said Beam. The driver recovered and continues to thank Beam for helping him in his time of need.

Beam, who has been driving since 2005, and has helped several motorists during his driving career. When asked about this incident, he said, “Throughout my life I have been faced with several situations similar to this one. I guess I am always in the right place at the right time.”

In 2011, Beam won the Highway Angel of the Year award for pulling a woman and her two children from their vehicle after it had flipped down an embankment.

For his willingness to help, TCA has presented Beam with a certificate, patch, lapel pin and truck decal. Epes Transport Systems also received a certificate acknowledging that one of its drivers is a Highway Angel.

TCA’s Highway Angel program is sponsored by EpicVue. Since the program’s inception in August 1997, hundreds of drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the unusual kindness, courtesy and courage they have shown others while on the job.

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