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Via Instagram
If you’ve been keeping track of the crazy wildfire that’s been going strong in California, then you know that it’s been an absolute nightmare. All the footage and photos of people escaping, the insane destruction, and the tremendous loss of life, really hammers home how much of a tragedy this is. But where there’s darkness and disaster, is also the opportunity for heroes. One such hero is ICU Nurse Allyn Pierce.
When the wildfires hit his town of Paradise, he spent his time driving his Toyota Tundra (affectionately nicknamed The Pandra) through the flames, back to his post to help out where he could. As a result, his beloved truck got some severe fire damage.
Lucky for him, Toyota USA’s gonna give him a new one for being such a selfless hero.
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Via Twitter
Allyn’s story was actually brought to national attention by a Twitter thread courtesy of New York Times reporter Jack Nicas. He heard about what Allyn had done, and had to share it. This is how he started his recollection.
He then continues: “Allyn manages the ICU at Paradise’s hospital, Adventist Health, and helped spark the quick evacuation of patients Thursday morning as the #CampFire swept in. Then he hopped in his truck with two colleagues and headed for safety.”
After helping evacuate the hospital, he fled for safety, along with the rest of the town’s residents. He didn’t get far.
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Via Twitter
Nicas writes, “Like many residents in Paradise, they quickly hit gridlock. But unfortunately for them, they were stuck in the middle of the fire. Flames licked at the side of his truck, and as Allyn watched other cars catch fire, he thought his was next. Here was his view.”
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Via Twitter
“Allyn held his coat against the window – a futile guard from the intense heat – and put on Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” to calm himself. He recorded a goodbye message to his family: “Just in case this doesn’t work out, I want you to know I really tried to make it out.””
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Via Twitter
“Suddenly a bulldozer appeared & knocked a burning truck next to him out of the way. There was some room to maneuver. But instead of going forward toward safety, he turned around & drove back into the heart of Paradise. Here’s the aftermath of his Tacoma. (The lights still work.)”
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Via Twitter
“Allyn ended up back at the hospital and quickly realized injured Paradise residents were also there, looking for medical help. “Now all of us are like, ‘Oh, this is what we do,’” he recalled. “We’re terrible at burning to death, but we’re amazing at taking care of people.””
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Noah Berger/AP via Twitter
“Doctors, nurses, paramedics & police started a triage center in the hospital parking lot. They broke into the hospital for gurneys, oxygen tanks & other gear & quickly went to work, treating about two dozen people while the fire raged around them.”
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Jim Wilson/NYT Via Twitter
“Then the hospital caught fire. The team quickly relocated the patients 100 yards away to the hospital’s helipad. Eventually authorities cleared a path to safety, so they loaded up the victims & drove out in a caravan. Everyone made it out safely.
Allyn stressed the triage was a massive group effort — and that they weren’t heroes. “This is what we do,” he said. “Any nurse, any healthcare worker, any cop, they were there and they all did their jobs.””
That, ladies and gentlemen, is how it’s done. He and the truck didn’t just brave the heat once, but twice, to ensure that patients got to safety.
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Via Instagram
That wasn’t the end of it though. Allyn lost his house and his beloved truck in his actions, and took to his Instagram, not to ask for help, but to celebrate his truck, and his fellow helpers.
Fortunately for him, Toyota USA was listening.
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Via Instagram
They left this comment on his Instagram, offering to give him a new truck for his heroism and sacrifice. Sure, it might be a publicity thing, or it might also be more pure than that; a way to spread hope in a desolate time.
On top of that, some of Allyn’s co-workers and neighbours saw what he did and organized a Go Fund Me to help him and his family get back on their feet. Hit up the link if you want to give them a hand.
Hat’s off to Allyn, Toyota and the rest of the town for offering people a small measure of comfort and hope in a really shitty time, with some selfless heroism.
H/T Tire Meets Road & Jalopnik
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