Pride of Australia nomination for keeping an eye out
Truckie Lew Rowe has been around the block a few times and over the years has helped enough people in sticky situations to have earned himself a Pride of Australia nomination.
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Hero truckie Lew Rowe has seen a lot in his travels.
And he’s done a bit too.
The 62-year-old has personally saved the lives of four people, and that’s just the major incidents.
His tales are harrowing and heroic and show the grandfather-of-five’s true colours — but you won’t hear him say that.
Lew recalls watching on in horror one day as a car sped past his truck while driving in outback Queensland.
It slammed into an oncoming truck and rebounded into a dam, sinking fast.
“That accident happened in front of me,” he says, still haunted by what followed.
Lew fearlessly jumped in after the sinking car, dragging out and resuscitating a mother and one of her twin babies.
Sadly, the woman’s partner and a second twin could not be saved.
“I revived the mother and one of the babies but I couldn’t revive the fellow and the other little baby … that’s when it started to get to me,” he said.
“I started to feel like I had failed.
“That’s the most I’ve ever spoken about it.”
Another time the truckie came to the aid of a motorbike rider near Wangaratta who crashed at speed, tearing his leg and leaving it hanging by a thread.
“He was saying ‘My toe, my toe’ and I said ‘it’s okay mate I’ve got your leg — and his leg was in my hand,” Lew said, without a grimace.
And just last year, he was up near Albury when a truck flipped onto its side.
Again, Lew came to the rescue.
The quick-thinking bloke pulled a fellow truck driver from the vehicle moments before it burst into flames.
“I was on the phone to my boss … and I just told him that I had to go,” Lew said.
“I jumped out the truck and it had already started catching fire.
“The windscreen was shattered and I was able to pull it off and drag him out.”
Police and Lew’s employer, trucking giant Linfox, have since recognised him for his actions. Now, he is being commended with a Pride of Australia nomination.
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But Lew said he’s only worthy it if he can get across one message:
“People today need to take a look at themselves,” he said.
“I was just doing what anyone would (or should) have done.
“You might be able to help someone out and you might be able to save someone’s life.”
Do you know a local hero or someone in the community who deserves recognition? nominate them here: www.heraldsun.com.au/news/pride-of-australia