Jeff Hytower
U.S. Army · Sgt. 1st Class
Army · Stopped to help
A Soldier stopped at a crash on his way to work and, with two fellow Soldiers, kept two children safe
Oct. 5, 2026 · Interstate 5 near DuPont, Washington
Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower talks with news media at a Madigan training and simulation area, Oct. 7, 2026.
Photo credit: Photo by Sean Hall, Madigan Army Medical Center Public Affairs.
On his drive to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower, a practical nursing specialist at Madigan Army Medical Center, came upon a serious crash on Interstate 5. He turned around, switched on his hazard lights and found a safe place to stop.
“It was just instinct. That's when training kicks in.”
Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower
When the situation suddenly became dangerous for two children at the scene, Hytower stepped in to protect them. Sgt. Ricardo Nunez of the 7th Infantry Division helped him make the scene safe, and Washington National Guard combat medic Sgt. Alexis McKay cared for and comforted one of the children until law enforcement arrived. Hytower then turned to reassuring both kids.
“We just saw people who needed help and did what we would want others to do for us and our families.”
Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Hytower
Hytower teaches patient care with realistic medical simulation at Madigan, and he says that training helped him stay calm and focus on what mattered most.
Read the original releaseU.S. Army article
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