The word “hero” is so often thrown around to the point that it is often emptied of meaning.
One Arkansas truck driver was most definitely a hero.
Last week, Randall McDougal was driving a truck with ammonium nitrate (a fertilizer which is also highly explosive). While he was driving, there was a fire in his breaks. The truck essentially became a huge bomb as the fire spread. McDougal called 9-1-1, but also decided to drive the truck to a rural area, away from cars, people, and homes.
Once he was able to get the truck in a safe spot, instead of trying to make his way to safety, McDougal attempted to put the fire out. Tragically, the fire could not be extinguished in time and a massive explosion ripped a crater into the ground, and killed McDougal.
For the safety of others, he put himself into harms way.
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Josh Benner has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has served churches in Minnesota and Illinois. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in St. Louis.