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The situation was urgent: baby Bryson needed to reach Cincinnati Children’s Hospital immediately. With blizzard conditions making travel nearly impossible, traditional ambulances couldn’t make it alone. That’s when Kelly Besl, part of the hospital’s transport team, made a rare request. She asked ODOT to clear the way, ensuring the ambulance could reach its destination safely.
Racing Against the Clock Through Whiteout Conditions
Without hesitation, Estes fired up his snowplow and barreled into the storm. Traffic cameras showed him pushing through deep snow with flashing lights, the ambulance following just 150 feet behind. Visibility was nearly zero, but Estes kept a steady pace of 30 to 35 miles per hour, carving a safe path through roads that had paralyzed the entire region.
What is normally a 15-minute drive took nearly 30, as Estes methodically fought through snow drifts and icy stretches.
“It was just plow the way safely, let’s get there in one piece,” Estes said.
Meanwhile, respiratory therapist Heather Lipps monitored Bryson’s condition in a specialized incubator. “It was nerve-racking to begin with,” Lipps admitted, “but the moment we saw Estes leading the way we knew everything was going to be just fine.”
A Father’s Instincts Behind the Wheel
With seven years of ODOT experience, Estes had driven through storms before, but nothing like this mission.
“It’s probably the most important trek of my ODOT career,” he said. “It wasn’t just pushing snow; it was getting this ambulance to this hospital safely and back.”
As a father himself, Estes felt the stakes immediately.
“I don’t know the age, the sex, the race, or the religion of this child—nothing,” he said. “And it was, ‘Get this child to this hospital for whatever they needed.'”
This is the American spirit in action—no questions asked, no hesitation, just a man committed to saving a life.
Heroism in the Shadows
Over the three-day blizzard, Estes worked more than 30 hours clearing roads across Cincinnati. When the transport team met him in person to say thank you, the modest driver deflected praise.
“It was great. We had him on the phone a couple times and he was like ‘just tell me exactly what you guys need and where we’re going,'” Lipps said.
Hospital officials confirmed baby Bryson and his family are safe.
Even after this life-saving effort, Estes remained humble.
“By no means am I the hero,” he insisted. “I’m just a truck driver, and I absolutely hope everything works out for the best.”
But make no mistake—this is the kind of hero America needs more of. While some media celebrate those who obstruct law enforcement, men like Joe Estes quietly risk their lives in blizzards to save the most vulnerable. No cameras, no accolades, just selfless action when it mattered most.
Estes also offered a simple reminder to the public: give emergency crews space during severe weather.
“Fire trucks, police, ambulances… we see them every day,” he said. “And we just ask drivers to give us room to work so these real heroes can get where they need to be.”
In a world obsessed with recognition, Estes embodies what real heroism looks like—doing the right thing when lives hang in the balance, no questions asked, no fanfare needed. For parents, and for all Americans, men like Joe Estes are the guardians of our communities, and a reminder of the values that truly keep this country strong.
