Toyota gives back to hero EMT who helped save lives in deadly, 100-vehicle pile-up in Texas

Here at Landers Toyota of Little Rock, we’re always proud to see stories about our local fire, police and EMS first-responders doing the brave, hard work of running toward danger when everybody else is running away.

Toyota believes in the heroism of everyday heroes as well, and recently stepped forward to reward the selfless heroism of Fort Worth-based paramedic Trey McDaniel, who sprang into action, dodging oncoming cars and mangled wreckage to save lives during a recent, 100-car pileup on I-35 near Fort Worth, caused by the blast of arctic weather that hit Texas earlier this year.

On Feb. 11, McDaniel was on his way to administer shots at a Covid-19 vaccination clinic when his FJ Cruiser slipped on icy Interstate 35 and spun into the car ahead of him. Though he was able to bring his FJ safely to a stop, when McDaniel looked into the rearview mirror, he saw a nightmare: an 18-wheeler bearing down on him at freeway speed, sliding.

“I just took a moment to grip the steering wheel and braced myself for impact,” says McDaniel. “I can’t even find the words to describe how it felt. At first, I wasn’t even sure I survived.”

The force of the massive truck slamming into the FJ Cruiser was violent enough to launch the 4,000-pound 4×4 SUV over the retaining wall and into the northbound lanes. Toyota’s legendary safety systems worked as designed, however, and though his FJ (seen in the photo above) was left unrecognizable by the crash, McDaniel was mostly unhurt.

After taking a moment to evaluate himself and check for trauma, he scrambled out the window of his destroyed Toyota. When he looked around, all he could see was wreckage — dozens of crumpled vehicles, with more slamming into the rear of the pile by the minute. Eventually, over 100 vehicles of all sizes would join the carnage. Then he heard the cries for help.

“Everywhere I looked, I just saw more cars, and more people who needed help,” says McDaniel. “I heard people screaming to be rescued, which I’ll never forget. My adrenaline was pumping, and I just felt, as a paramedic, I had to do something. I’ve seen bad crashes before. But this was on a totally different level.”

McDaniel’s training took over, and he began racing from vehicle to vehicle, checking on drivers, helping bind their wounds with anything available and trying to keep crash victims, including some who were pinned in the wreckage, warm and calm until help arrived. As first-responders arrived at the scene, McDaniel helped lead them quickly through the mangled piles of wrecked vehicles to those with the worst injuries, making sure they were extracted and taken to safety.

“To me, it was a no-brainer,” McDaniel said. “As a paramedic, it’s my duty to help people in their time of need.”

Though McDaniel was happy to survive the crash and save lives, he still missed the FJ Cruiser that had saved his own life from the devastating impact. McDaniel had customized his FJ for weekend off-roading, and it had been with him for years by then. Eventually, McDaniel shared his story of the crash on an online fan forum for FJ Cruiser owners. After learning the story of McDaniel’s selfless heroism in the face of danger. Toyota was alerted to his post and informed him that his bravery wouldn’t go unrecognized or unrewarded.

“We’re just glad you’re safe and inspired that you chose to help others in need,” Toyota wrote on his post. “We’re happy you’re part of the Toyota family. So don’t worry about replacing your vehicle — it would be an honor for us to get you a new one!”

While the FJ Cruiser is no longer made by Toyota, the brand gave McDaniel the next best thing: a 2021 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro in Lunar Rock, free of charge. The vehicle was delivered to McDaniel at a Toyota dealership in Grapevine, Texas, near his home. The location held even more significance to McDaniel: before deciding to become a paramedic, he had worked at the same Toyota dealership as a sales associate. McDaniel had originally purchased the FJ Cruiser while working there, after becoming convinced of the reliability, build quality and off-road prowess of the Toyotas he sold.

“Your story melted all our hearts at Toyota,” said Toyota Motor North America President and CEO Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa as he presented the keys to McDaniel. “Our company has a long-standing core value of respect and care for people. On behalf of all of us at Toyota, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are a true hero.”

While his new Toyota 4Runner will surely provide him fun and protection for years to come, McDaniel said he’ll always be thankful for the Toyota FJ Cruiser whose rugged construction and benchmark safety systems saved him when the chips were down.

“It did its job,” McDaniel said. “And I’ll always be thankful, for the rest of my life.”