Decorah's Walker Hovey and four Waukon residents named "Everyday Heroes"

(Left to right): Everyday Heroes Committee Co-Chair Carol Heying, KWWL representative Trish Kennedy, Justin Hager of Waukon and Walker Hovey of Decorah (Not pictured are Darryl Brink, Janet and Keith Schroeder and their nominator, Valerie Egan, none of whom could attend

The American Red Cross has honored Decorah resident Walker Hovey as an "Everyday Hero."

Hovey was heading back to Decorah on Highway 76 at Rossville on Sunday afternoon, August 26th, when he rounded a corner and watched two pickups crash head on into one another right in front of him.

The accident killed one of the drivers and injured all of the occupants of the other truck.  But it could have been even worse--if not for the actions of Hovey and four Waukon residents..

Hovey grabbed some chains from the back of a truck and hooked the chains onto a trailer behind the truck and then onto his own truck.  He pulled--and the trailer separated from the second truck and crashed into Hovey's truck.  Hovey then hitched the chains to the back of the truck itself.  Hovey and Waukon residents Justin Hager, Darryl Brink, Keith Schroeder and Janet Schroeder pulled the truck 50 feet away from the burning first truck, saving the lives of the people inside the second truck.

The American Red Cross of the Tri-States on Tuesday honored the five by presenting them with an "Everyday Heroes Award" for their actions.