Suffield resident, Clark Messenger, has earned Fed-Ex’s Humanitarian Award for his quick thinking and aid at a serious accident on one of his delivery runs.
Clark Messenger alongside his FedEx tractor-trailer.
Messenger, who drives a tractor-trailer for FedEx, was delivering a large crate to a Connecticut Acura dealership in February. Because the dealership didn’t have a loading dock, he positioned the tractor-trailer near a loading door where a worker with a forklift came to unload the crate. All seemed well with the unloading, but as Messenger prepared to drive away, he checked his mirrors and saw that the worker had fallen off the forklift and was lying on the ground.
He quickly climbed out of the truck to see what was happening and realized that the forklift had run over the worker’s legs. Messenger quickly called 911, then went back to stay with the victim. While they waited for the ambulance, which came quickly, Messenger saw that the forklift was slowly rolling back toward them. Trying to stop the forklift, he yelled for help. People from the dealership came out to help push the forklift back, while the ambulance, police and fire department came and attended to the victim.
Messenger is very humble about his efforts, saying that anyone would have done the same, but obviously his quick action and attention were very important, as well as being in the right place at the right time – lucky all around.
FedEx presented their Humanitarian Awards at a national ceremony at corporate headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee in mid-August. Messenger was one of the dozen or so awardees. For a company of more than 400,000 employees this is quite an honor. The company hosted him and his wife, Nicki, for three days in Memphis.
The Humanitarian Award recognizes employees who reach out and help others, exhibiting behavior that goes above and beyond basic community responsibility. Employees are recognized for rushing to the aid of people facing life-threatening situations, personal tragedies, and misfortune. These employees, responding with genuine concern for people and communities, reflect the value FedEx places on taking care of others.
The Observer learned of the story because Messenger’s best friend and brother-in-law tipped us off. Messenger also provided us with some fun facts – He was born on April 17, 1973, which is the date that FedEx opened. He has worked for the company for 29 years. When FedEx celebrated its 50th birthday, he celebrated his 50th as well, and he figures that because his name is Messenger, it was destiny that he’d work for FedEx!