Just over a week before Christmas, Baltimore resident Clinton Worrell, Jr., was killed when a fuel truck he was operating slid off the road on I-95 coming into Baltimore. In the aftermath, a Chicago man, thinking of the late driver’s family, decided to start a fundraiser to help them get by.
Many saw the video of the horrific Dec. 17 crash on I-95 almost immediately after it happened. Among the millions of viewers of that tragic viral footage was Mike Lavelle, a career truck driver who lives in Chicago. As first reported by WJZ, Lavelle thought of Worrell’s family right away.
He decided to launch a GoFundMe page the day after the accident on their behalf. On Facebook, both men were members of a group for fuel truck drivers. Lavelle wrote that with help from another group member, he managed to connect with Worrell’s family and get their blessing to launch the fundraiser. His rationale was simple: The drivers were bound together by their choice of profession.
“It’s a fellow fuel hauler, and it’s a brother and a sisterhood, and we all kind of look out for each other,” Lavelle told the TV station.
In the last nine days, the GoFundMe has brought in more than $15,000 in donations. The money will be used to support the family Worrell has left behind, including his 7-year-old daughter. His sister, Shannika, will have access to the funds, rather than Lavelle, according to the page.
Worrell’s employer has mourned his loss as authorities continue to investigate. He had been working for the company since 2014. “Clinton was an outstanding employee during his 2.5+ years with Carroll,” said company president John Phelps in a statement issued Dec. 23. “He will be sorely missed for his dedication to the job and his friendship.”
