NEW ORLEANS — Earlier this month, three Louisiana Probation and Parole agents were awarded the Medal of Valor from the North American Association of Wardens and Superintendents.
David Dean, Joseph Cotton and Mike Phelps rushed to the scene of the deadly I-55 pileup last October after receiving a call from their co-worker, Robert Hall.
“We didn’t even know that they had nominated us for it," Cotton said.
Hall was on his way to work when he found himself on the I-55 bridge near Manchac.
More than 160 vehicles were involved in the foggy crashes that claimed seven lives and injured more than 60 people.
Hall's car was involved in the massive wreck, and it caught on fire. He was severely bruised and suffered a brain bleed, his wife, Jennifer, said.
“We’ve had countless, I mean, I don’t know, doctor appointments from so many different specialists," Jennifer Hall said, “He hasn’t been released to go to work yet.”
Hall's three lifelong friends and co-workers didn't hesitate to respond. They weaved through the wrecked cars until they were forced to run with a spine board to get to Hall. Then, they carried him back to the truck and rushed him to the hospital.
"If he had a quarter in his pocket, I don't know if we could've carried him any further," Phelps said, “We joke about our part, of course, we wish we could have done more.”
The agents can laugh about parts of the story now, but at the time, these experienced law enforcement agents say it was one of the worst things they've ever seen.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. It was chaos and catastrophic," Phelps said.
At a ceremony in Raleigh, North Carolina, earlier this month, the three agents were awarded the Medal of Valor for their work helping Hall and others.
“Medal of Valor is for you have to save someone’s life or your life has to be in danger while trying to save someone," Cotton said.
Jennifer and Robert Hall attended the ceremony as well.
“I was honored to be there," Dean said, “I mean, yeah, the award is great, but the best award is that he’s breathing.”
The agents also gave credit to Darla, a Northshore nurse who ran into the wreckage, found Hall and helped him make the life-saving phone call.
Hall said he hopes to return to work soon for the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole.
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