A Man Of Action

Beam receives 2011 Highway Angel of the Year trophy for heroic feat

They say action speak louder than words, and that certainly is the case with Marcus Beam, an Epes Transport System, Inc. company driver who was recognized by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) as a Highway Angel this past October.

When asked about his daring deed, Beam doesn’t like to talk about it, but his story is worth telling.

In the early evening of August 8, 2011, Beam was driving on I-40 near Benson, N.C., on his way to Henderson, N.C., to drop off a load, when he saw a speeding car strike a vehicle, causing it to flip and careen down an embankment into the woods. He pulled over and approached the accident scene. There were other motorists present, but they refused to help because the car’s engine was revving, and it seemed like the car might catch on fire.

Just like Bonaparte’s quote, Beam didn’t hesitate or overthink the situation. Instead, he sprang into action.

It was very dark in the woods, and Beam could not see very well. He finally located the car and saw that the driver was trapped by her seat belt and hanging halfway out of the window. She was shouting, “My babies! My babies!” Beam pulled her out and immediately turned the engine off. He then turned his attention to the back seat, where a 6-month old infant and a toddler were dangling upside down from their car seats. The infant appeared to be choking against the car seat’s straps, but accessing the children was difficult because the roof was crushed and the opening between the front and back seats was only about 12 inches. Beam solved the problem by lying on his back and carefully maneuvering backward until he could free the children.

At some point later, Beam realized that he was covered in broken glass. Fortunately, he had not been injured during the rescue. “All I could think was I had to get those babies out of the car,” he told TCA. “I didn’t even consider the possible danger to myself.”

And Beam is no stranger to danger.

When he is not driving for Epes, he participates in motorcycle stunt shows, and has been featured on StuntWars, the pioneer of SportBike Freestyle competition, and on MTV. You can check out some of Beam’s stunts on You Tube by searching for Mandy121077 and clicking on the videos.

Beam’s bravery on that August evening resulted in him being selected as the 2011 Highway Angel of the Year recipient, which is given by the TCA Communications & Image Policy Committee to the person who best embodies the spirit of the Highway Angel program.

Beam was flown to Boise for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, a post-season, NCAA-sanctioned Division I FBS college football bowl game. He was accompanied on the trip by his wife Mandy, and two children, Marty and MaKenzie, plus members of the Epes Transport management team.  After arriving in Boise, Beam and his family participated in numerous Bowl-related activities.

On Thursday, December 15, he was honored at the annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner, sponsored by Internet Truckstop. The annual banquet highlights the Highway Angel of the Year, plus one player from each respective football team that best performs humanitarian efforts on their campus and community, with each coach saying a few words and a video telling their story. Each young man received a nice round of applause, but the only standing ovation of the night came after the audience heard the description of Beam’s heroism.

The next day, Internet Truckstop, who also underwrites the Highway Angel program, escorted the Beams on a tour of the Idaho state capitol, where they got to visit the Governor’s Mansion, a recently renovated 7,370-square foot residence that was once the home of billionaire J.R. Simplot. There, they met with Governor Butch Otter before touring the Humanitarian Museum and the Boise State Football Stadium.

On gameday, Beam was in for a special treat, as he was serenaded by rising country music star Lindsay Lawler, who performed a free concert outside of the stadium before kickoff. Lawler brought Beam on the stage and sang Highway Angel to him after recounting his fearless, life-saving encounter. The crowd was so moved that many asked for Beam’s autograph afterward.

At the end of the third quarter of the football game,  Beam was brought onto the field, where the 34,000 fans in attendance witnessed him being presented the Highway Angel of the Year trophy  by Gary Salisbury, TCA’s chairman and the president and CEO of Fikes Truck Line, Inc.

Salisbury would later say, “. It was an honor to present him with the Highway Angel of the Year award. I am always impressed when I hear stories like Beam’s… what a Good Samaritan! I’m even more astounded that people stood around and watched him take action.”

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is the nation’s longest-running outdoor cold-weather Bowl, and was televised on ESPN.  Several trucking groups aired commercials during the broadcast, including Women In Trucking and TCA (for Wreaths Across America), so there was plenty of trucking pride on display – but none would be greater than the words express by his carrier. “We are honored to have Marcus as a part of our team,” JT Toler, director of dedicated operations, of Epes Transport, said. “We are extremely proud of Marcus. His actions exemplify that which we all strive for at Epes Transport, which is putting the needs of others first.”

Beam is a man of action, indeed.