Connecticut Towing Operator Saves a Life

From: TowPartners
Published: Mon Sep 07 2009


The Towing and Recovery Association of America, in conjunction with its ongoing effort to improve the image of towers and the towing industry to the general public, would like to acknowledge the recent efforts of a towing operator in Branford, Connecticut.

At about 1pm on July 30, 2009, Michael MacDonough, 31, of R J Shore Automotive was under a truck at the shop and heard a big crash. He jumped up to find that a car driven by Robert Mattson, 55, of Branford, had struck an oncoming Branford Public Works truck, careened off the right side of the road, and slammed into an unoccupied tow truck and car in the Shore Automotive lot. Mike and his boss ran over to the driver’s door and Mike opened it to find Mr. Mattson with a seatbelt digging into his bleeding neck.

"There was blood all over the place but he was still talking. He was saying, ‘What did I do?’ and I was saying, ‘Don’t worry about that stuff,’" says Mike, who could see the bleeding gash in Mattson’s neck needed pressure applied. "I took the seatbelt out of his neck and got someone to bring me a fender cover—it’s like T-shirt material. I put that on his neck and held the back of his head and his neck," says Mike. "I was watching him the whole time because you see on TV they can go into shock, so I was waiting to see what’s next."

Mike kept applying pressure and talking to Mattson until an EMT crew arrived. He was later told Mattson could easily have bled to death if Mike hadn’t taken action.

"They got there just in time…he started turning gray," says Mike.

Mattson was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital and survived the accident. Mike’s feat was made a bit more significant when he later learned July 30 was also Mattson’s birthday. A man who said he was Mattson’s brother stopped by Shore Automotive later that day to tell Mike’s boss, Jim Bruneau, that Mattson had made it, albeit with major injuries.

"I see a lot of accidents where it’s just amazing that people survive. I see a lot of blood; [it] kind of puts a knot in your stomach for the rest of the day," says Mike. "The day of the accident, the fire chief and the chief of police told me if I didn’t do that, he wouldn’t have made it."

The full story can be found at: http://zip06.theday.com/blogs/the_sound/archive/2009/08/14/a-hero-on-the-job-tow-truck-operator-saves-a-life.aspx

The Towing and Recovery Association of America endeavors to pass along positive news about the towing industry and places press releases in conjunction with these efforts. This release is a part of that effort. News submissions can be sent to jgodwin@towpartners.com.

Contact:
Jeffrey Godwin
TowPartners
Keller, TX
877-401-2345
jgodwin@towpartners.com
http://www.towpartners.com
Company: TowPartners
Contact Name: Jeffrey Godwin
Contact Email: jgodwin@towpartners.com
Contact Phone: 877-401-2345

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