LOS ANGELES : Trucker Hailed as Hero for Storm Relief Effort

Eleven days after his truckers delivered a precious cargo of relief supplies to South Florida victims of Hurricane Andrew, Darryl Godwin got a pat on the back Tuesday by Los Angeles County officials.

Godwin was praised as a “modern day hero and Good Samaritan” in a ceremony at the County Hall of Administration.

Earlier this month, Godwin came to the rescue of federal employees at the Air Force’s Plant 42 flight testing facility in Palmdale, who helped raise nearly 70 tons of relief supplies for homeless colleagues at installations in the Miami area. Plant employees--who work for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Force--had hoped to fly the goods to the hurricane victims. But they were told by the Pentagon that military cargo planes were unavailable.

After hearing about their plight on a local radio show, Godwin told FAA relief volunteers that he would provide three 18-wheelers with volunteer crews. When those crews pulled out at the last minute on Sept. 8, Godwin contracted out for three more, and paid them more than $3,000 apiece out of his own pocket.