Hero reluctant to accept awards for response that saved car crash victim’s life

LEVEL CROSS — A modest hero reluctantly accepted awards for saving a man’s life.

Michael Taylor wanted no recognition for his actions but his wife Hollie encouraged him to collaborate with the NC Insurance Commissioner.

Mike Causey, Insurance Commissioner, presented Taylor with the SAVE Award on Nov. 28 at the Level Cross Volunteer Fire Department.

Other recognitions were a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners and a Fire Live Save Plaque from the Level Cross Station 43 Fire Department.

The awards were in recognition of Taylor’s life-saving action that he took one evening while he was sitting in his living room getting a haircut. He heard a car crash just across the road in front of his house. The accident broke a power line, leaving lines down everywhere.

Taylor quickly left his house, raced over across the road while avoiding live electric wires, and pulled the driver out of the car, which had already begun to flame. As he dragged the man out of the way, the car exploded.

Station 43 was on site within one minute and six seconds after the 911 call came in. When the first responders arrived, the victim was already safe, thanks to Taylor’s quick, capable and selfless action.