Long Haul's Hero: Truck Driver Rescues Canadian Couple on South Dakota's Snowy Interstate 29

John Crozman loves the road. But, the longtime truck driver doesn't really like to be called a hero.

"I've been doing this for 30 years. Can't say I've ever expected anything like this," he said Tuesday.

He might not love all the attention, but Crozman earned his so-called 15 minutes of fame last Thursday night in the middle of nowhere along Interstate 29 in South Dakota. 

Just north of the tiny little town of Summit, where U.S. Highway 12 meets with the interstate, is an exit to a state rest area. 

That was where Tom and Mary Fischer had planned on spending the night. 

With winds at the ridge where I-29 descends into the prehistoric Lake Aggasiz lakebed howling over 50 m.p.h., the blowing snow had forced the Fischers, who hail from Manitoba, Canada, to pull off the road. 

According to a letter they wrote to Long Haul Trucking of Albertville, thanking them for employing a great man like Crozman, they were there for hours. 

What they didn't know was that nearly a hundred other cars had done the same. 

"The wind chill was recorded at approximately –60 degrees," Mary wrote. "There were groups of vehicles a mile ahead of us and a half mile behind (safety in numbers), but we were alone. We were near hypothermic." 

Conditions were such that plows weren't on the interstate anymore, and the highway patrol had packed it in as well. 

Fortunately, Crozman had gotten an old road report on the 511 call he made.

"They said the road was open. I guess the stupid thing hadn't been updated."

Lucky for the Fischers. 

Crozman pulled off along I-29 near the same rest area, after creeping by several other cars. But something drew his attention to the Fischers' vehicle. He wasn't sure if it was a candle or a flashlight, but he figured they were in trouble.

"The windows were frosted over and I could tell they had been there a while. When I opened the door they were huddled around a candle, and they were shivering pretty bad," Crozman said. 

Rescued. And just in time. The Fischers were "shaking uncontrollably," Mary said. 

Crozman put the couple in his truck and made his way back to Summit, about 10 miles south, back up the hill. He blasted the heat, and when he got to the familiar Cenex Coffe Cup Station, he pulled right up to the door. 

"It was all drifted in," Crozman said of the road. "Lots of pillow/finger drifts. We took a nice snowmobile ride in my rig." 

He bought coffee, and set up the couple in his rig. 

"First time I used my bunk on top. We were all pretty cozy for the night." 

Summit is referred to as the "Bermuda Triangle" by a lot of truck drivers, Crozman said. It's where haulers will decide to head north (to Fargo), west (to Aberdeen) or east (with back routes to Fergus Falls and Wahpeton). 

"It ate a lot of people up that night. I'm just glad I was around to help," Crozman said. "The TV crews were out Friday and they wanted to talk to everyone. I just wanted to take a shower. I was able to talk a bit, but it's gotten to be something else now."

Crozman became a celebrity Saturday after the Fischers sent an e-mail and a letter to Long Haul owner John Daniels. 

"We have always had the utmost respect for those individuals involved in the trucking industry, and now we owe our lives to one of them," Mary wrote. "John is a humble man who did not want us to make a fuss over him, however, we know that we must relay this information and have him receive the recognition he deserves.  John is a fine man – he is our hero and we will never forget what he did for us on that frigid night on I29.  John speaks very highly of the company he represents and of the individuals with whom he works."  

Long Haul has since shared the news with several outlets, and Crozman said he even got interviewed by a radio show he listens to on Sirrius Satellite.

"That was wierd, hearing myself on the radio," he said with a laugh. "It's a pretty good story, though."

And, fortunately for the Fischers, one with a happy ending. 

"Tom said to me that I save his rear end. I told him I'm just glad they didn't end up popsicles out there. It was one of the worst nights I'd seen," Crozman said. "It's just really lucky that I was able to get out and walk over to them and help." 

As for the hero? Well, Crozman said Daniels called him with the news his company was reimbursing him for his base plate costs for 2011.

"And I've got some nice, new friends in Canada. How about that?" he said.