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MARKHAM, Ill. (WLS) — It was the peak of rush hour on Monday evening.
Anthony Pilot and his girlfriend were driving along Interstate 57 in Markham when they caught sight of a multi-vehicle crash.
“I saw a big cloud of smoke. I didn’t know what it was, so everyone stopped for a second, and the first thing I saw was the truck,” Pilot said.
Illinois State Police say it happened near 159th Street. Among the five vehicles involved was a box truck that had overturned in the left lane.
“I told my girlfriend, ‘I think there’s a guy trapped in there,'” Pilot said.
Pilot pulled over and jumped into action. His girlfriend captured what happened next.
“I hopped on top of the side of the truck, I opened up the door and then I pulled the guy out,” Pilot said. “The first thing he said was, ‘I need my phone. I got to call the company and let them know I just crashed.’ and I’m like, ‘No, you need to get out of the truck. Your truck is leaking fluid. You need to get out.'”
Even if I had no relation to this person whatsoever, it doesn’t matter. It was another life.
Pilot said the man thanked him before he tried to help the other people involved in the crash.
ISP said some injuries were reported, but the truck driver, Pilot said, appeared to be OK. And for him, that made the risk worth it.
“Even if I had no relation to this person whatsoever, it doesn’t matter. It was another life, and I’m glad that he was OK, and everyone else that in the accident was OK,” Pilot said.
On Tuesday night, the construction worker from Merrionette Park hopes his actions inspire goodwill within others.
“If something like that was to happen to me, I really hope that there’s someone out there that sees a story like this or has some type of faith to jump in there and try to take someone out,” Pilot said.
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