Toyota Rewards Local Hero With New 4Runner


On the morning of Feb. 11, 2021, Trey McDaniel was headed to work at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic where he was scheduled to administer shots. The MedStar paramedic said the day started out like any other until the "nightmare" began.

Icy weather caused hazardous conditions on the I-35 in Fort Worth, where Trey was driving his cherished 2011 FJ Cruiser. He saw brake lights ahead and tried to stop, but it was too late. Black ice caused the vehicle to slide. His Toyota's anti-lock brake system (ABS) kicked in, which helped slow him down enough that he merely tapped the bumper of the person ahead.

However, in the rearview mirror Trey saw worse coming: a semi-truck was barreling toward him at high speed. He braced himself for impact, looking down and closing his eyes. The impending collision caused his vehicle to go airborne and land over the barrier on the opposite side of the freeway.

His FJ Cruiser was crushed in the chain-reaction crash. Amid the sound of screams and vehicles colliding, he opened his eyes and moved his hands and feet. Then he managed to crawl out of his driver's side window.

Although he was in shock and disoriented, Trey immediately began checking on other drivers and joined first responders in assisting crash victims. Since he was already dressed in his MedStar uniform, paramedics thought he was on-duty, not realizing that he was involved in the accident as well. When they eventually realized that he was a crash victim, they sent him to the hospital to be checked on.

Trey later posted about the event on an FJ Cruiser subreddit, where he credited his SUV for saving his life. The post garnered a lot of attention and Toyota's corporate headquarters soon caught on to the story. The company responded to his post, expressing how inspired they were by his actions and announcing that they would replace his SUV.

At a special event just a couple of weeks after the accident, Texas Toyota was privileged to take part in presenting him with a new 2021 4Runner TRD Pro. To further reward his bravery, we also gifted him a $2,000 check to help pay his car insurance for the next year. We will always consider Trey a member of the Texas Toyota family, and we couldn't be more proud to honor him for his heroic actions!