AKRON - Worth Martin Haney, 29, of Akron, gave his life helping a woman and baby, victims of a rollover on I-65 in Louisville, Ky., on Oct. 29, 2007.
He was born April 12, 1978, in Goshen, to Robert Haney, who survives in Warsaw, and Kathleen Haney, who survives in Barnum, Minn. He married Jamie Hawk, of Grand Rapids, Minn., who survives.
"A hero." "A Good Samaritan." So described in the Louisville media and by those who left comments in the Courier-Journal newspaper. His family knew he was that and more.
Extremely bright, he sailed through Indiana schools in Mishawaka, South Bend and Rochester, and Minnesota schools in Coleraine, Grand Rapids and Moose Lake, where he graduated in 1996 having never turned in a lick of homework much to the consternation of his parents and teachers! (Don't try that at home!) He then pursued a career in respiratory therapy until his compassion for people made the daily situations he saw impossible to bear.
Though residing in Minnesota since 1987, he always considered Indiana to be his home. In 2005, he moved his own family to Silver Lake, where he continued as a professional, licensed big rig handler. June 2007, he and his family firmly settled in their own home in Akron, which was also home to many relatives on his father's side.
So it was Oct, 29, found him southbound to Florida on I-65 in Louisville when a few minutes before 1 p.m., he witnessed a northbound car hit the median and flip. He pulled off, stopped, and taking extreme safety precautions, ran back until he was directly opposite the crash site before ensuring he had plenty of time to cross the four traffic lanes to reach the mother and child.
Unbeknownst to him, however, an oncoming vehicle was on track to blindside him.
He, faithful to his God, Jehovah, was pronounced dead at 4 p.m. in Louisville, Ky.
Also surviving are his nearly 9-year-old daughter, Brianna; and 7-year-old son, Dominick. He was spoiled by his older siblings, Mrs. Ted (Tammy) Parker, Silver Lake; Robin, Denver, Colo.; Scott (and wife Jessica) Vitale, South Bend; and Ron, Mishawaka. He is also survived by aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews on both parents' sides, in addition to numerous friends throughout the United States.
A memorial talk will be given at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 1563 N. Ind. 25, Rochester.
