Shallotte tow truck driver hurt by drunk driver hopes to raise awareness

SHALLOTTE, NC (WWAY) — A Brunswick County tow truck driver is hoping to raise awareness of just how dangerous the job can be.

“Life isn’t the same as it was before the accident, but we still got a life. So, it, its a good life.”

It’s been just over three months since John Bennette was struck by a drunk driver and left badly injured on the side of the road. His road to recovery hasn’t been easy, after spending nearly 70 days in the hospital with a shattered right leg, right hip and traumatic brain injury.

While he may be able to eventually walk again, his brain injury has affected his eyesight to the point that he might never be able to return to the job he’s done for most of his life. However, despite his injuries, Bennette says he doesn’t blame the driver for what happened.

“A lot of people, friends, are upset with the guy,” John Bennette said. “I’m not. We’ve all made stupid mistakes. I mean, we’ve all done really stupid stuff in our lives. I don’t hate the man, I don’t want any ill will coming to him. I just want him to get right, make himself so he don’t do this again.”

To help raise money for Bennette and his family, a barbeque fundraiser was held at his home Saturday afternoon. But the event was also held to spread an important message to motorists.

“Mainly, we wanted to do this, not just for John so he could see people and we could get the financial help we needed, but its also to honor the other tow truck drivers who people are not slowing down and moving over,” John’s wife, Kaye Bennette said. “Because every six days in America, a tow truck driver is killed on the side of the road and John, thank God, weren’t one of those statistics.”

For more information on how to support John and his family, click here.