Revealed: How heroic veteran killed by an oncoming train during parade saved his wife by pushing her off the wounded warriors float moments before the collision

Sgt Joshua Michael, 34, saved his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, just moments before train crash
Daylyn Michael was not hurt in Midland crash
Michael served in Iraq, where he earned two Purple Hearts before being medically retired due to brain injuries
Eastbound Union Pacific train was traveling 60mph through town when it slammed into the trailer carrying 26 people
Wounded veterans shoved their wives and girlfriends out of the way as train barreled down the tracks into the float
Midland, Texas, residents turned out in droves to donate blood at emergency donation center hospital set up in wake of the crash

PUBLISHED: 20:59 EST, 15 November 2012 | UPDATED: 09:34 EST, 16 November 2012

Sgt Joshua Michael, a Purple Heart recipient, was killed along with three other people when a train slammed into a parade float they were riding to a veterans' banquet in Midland, Texas, but not before committing one final act of heroism by pushing his wife off the doomed vehicle.

The victim, identified by authorities as Sgt Joshua Michael, 34, was among the 26 people riding on a flatbed truck en route to a 'Show of Support' dinner in their honor when a Union Pacific freight train suddenly appeared on the tracks and ploughed through the float.

According to Michael's mother-in-law, Mary Hefley, the Iraq war veteran pushed his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, off the float just moments before impact, saving her life in the process.

Michael was among the four people who were killed in the tragic collision that took place at around 4.30pm in the west Texas town. Another 17 people were taken to a hospital with injuries.

Before impact: Sgt Joshua Michael and his wife, Daylyn, pictured in white circle moments before a train collided with the float they were riding to a veterans' banquet in Midland, Texas

Real hero: Sgt Joshua Michael, right, died saving his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, just moment before Texas train crash

Heartbreaking: Michael, left, leaves behind his wife, son and daughter

‘He was that kind of guy,' Hefley told Amarillo Globe News . 'He would do for others before he would do for himself.'

Hefley added that her daughter was not among the 17 left injured in the crash.

According to Michael's mother-in-law, the 34-year-old man was one of two people who had succumbed to their injuries at Midland Memorial Hospital. According to officials, two others died at the crash site.

Michael served 10 years in the U.S. Army and was awarded two Purple Heart medals before being medically retired due to brain injuries he had suffered after being hit by an IED while serving with the Mighty 101st Airborne Division.

According to Hefley, Michael attended Amarillo College and later practiced paramedicine for Northwest Texas Hospital before enlisting after 9/11.

Warrior: Michael served in the Army for 10 years before he was medically retired after suffering brain injuries from an IED explosion in Iraq

Happier times: The Michael family live in San Antonio, Texas, where the 4-year-old father of two worked as a real estate agent

The Hereford native leaves behind his wife and two children. The family lives in San Antonio, where the 34-year-ld victim worked as a real estate agent.

Michael’s friend Cory Rogers released a statement from the family saying in part, ‘Words cannot express our grief or our feelings in this moment of profound loss. Josh was the kind of man who fought for what he believed in and for those he loved.’

During a phone interview on NBC’s Today Show, Rogers said that Michael’s widow flew to their home Thursday night near San Antonio to be with their son and daughter.

‘He was just a great family guy,’ Rogers told Today. ‘Just, you know, an all-around American hero in my opinion.’

Career change: Michael wrote on his Facebook page that he had become a real estate agent after working as a paramedic for 15 years

Four people have died and 17 were injured in west Texas after a freight train slammed into a parade float carrying wounded veterans en route to a charity benefit.

The veterans and their wives were seated on the flat beds of two tractor trailer rigs that paraded through downtown Midland, Texas, to a 'Show of Support' banquet in their honor.

As the two trailers crossed the train tracks, a Union Pacific train suddenly appeared, barreling down the tracks about 4.30pm on Thursday.

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Devastation: A train smashed into this flatbed trailer carrying dozens of veterans and their spouses on Thursday evening

Mangled: Emergency crews work on victims injured by the Union Pacific train that smashed into a parade float. Two people died at the scene and two others died at the hospital

Selfless: The Midland County Sheriff said several of the veterans tried to push their friends or their wives out of the way before the train hit

The first float pulled ahead and successfully cleared the tracks, but the second float, still filled with people, was smashed by the locomotive.

Two people died at the scene. Two more died at the hospital.

Ten of the victims are in critical condition. Eight are stable.

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'It was pandemonium at the point of impact. Some (of the veterans) tried to jump and protect each other, their girlfriends and their wives,' Sheriff Gary Painter told the Midland Reporter-Telegram.

The overwhelmed staff at Midland Memorial Hospital have begun asking the community for blood donations and set up an emergency donation center in the city, KWES-TV reports.

Midland residents turned out in droves, wrapping around the parking lot and waiting for hours for a chance to donate blood.

Horror: The special convoy was meant to kick off as spacial weekend for the veterans and their families, including an all-expenses-paid deer hunt

'Heroes on Board': This is a shot of the tragic parade float just moments before it was wrecked and destroyed by a train

Horrified: Two participants in the parade cling to each other after the horrific crash that left 17 people injured -- ten of then critically

Event organizers say 24 veterans and their spouses were on the trailers, en route from a downtown hotel to a banquet in their honor, according to the newspaper.

The trailer that was hit by the train had 26 people on it -- a dozen veterans an their wives and girlfriends, plus two parade organizers.

The eastbound train was sounding its horn before it hit the float, Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange said.

The train was traveling about 60mph. The speed limit for locomotives passing through Midland was increased from 40mph in 2003.

West Texas: The accident occurred in Midland, Texas, a city of 110,000 about 300 miles from Dallas

A preliminary investigation indicates the crossing gate and lights were working at the time, Lange said, though he didn't know if the train crew saw the float approaching.

However, witnesses reported that the crossing arms never lowered at the intersection, leaving the truck driver and the veterans completely off guard.

The National Transportation Safety Board is on the scene, investigating the cause of the crash, along with local sheriff's deputies and police.

The parade was meant to kick off a weekend of celebration for the veterans, who were supposed to go on an all-expense-paid whitetail deer hunting trip this weekend, while their wives were treated to a weekend out on the town.

Those events have been canceled as the community reels from the disaster.

'I’m just sick. I’m sick to my stomach,' Mayor Wes Perry told the Reporter-Telegram.

Stalled: A line of Corvettes followed the parade float. They were stalled at the intersection where the crash occurred

Disbelief: Terry Johnson, the founder of the 'Show of Support' charity that sponsored the parade, phones family members after the crash

Disbelief: Terry Johnson, the founder of the 'Show of Support' charity that sponsored the parade, phones family members after the deadly crash

Shock: The West Texas city of 110,000 is reeling from the disaster

VIDEO: Tragedy. Emotional statement from Mayor as families wait for more information...

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pepper , Midland Texas, 16/11/2012 14:06 = summed it up perfectly ! Please read for most every catastrophe has multi-able events occurring at the same time . I would say most of US in our lifetime have been in a ground 0 zero potential happening with the difference being timing ,minutes , hours and days . We have all driven past a car accident that could have been US only minutes before ?

- Frank Stevy , Upper Arlington OH, 16/11/2012 15:02

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When will people learn....trains can NOT STOP immediately!!!!!! The truck should have waited until the first float was completely cleared..then stop at the crossing, look both ways, try to listen as well (which probably would have been difficult) then proceeded. In this case if the crossing gates were working (and they'll investigate) the tractor trailer would of stopped. I know this doesn't comfort much, but I'm sure the driver didn't mean to do this. I think a lot of people in parades, funeral parades as well...always think they have the right of way...don't always assume that! There are always circumstances that can arise! May God Bless these families and all their loved ones!

- Jeaniejune , Silver Grove, United States, 16/11/2012 15:01

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how could the police be that incompetent? let's see... yesss... very fast trains come across this road at any time, yess...we should call the railroad and double check as we have a parade going over the crossing... yesss..... we'll have police at the crossing to monitor the line not just at this point but since we were so impatient and raised the speed of passing trains we'll have train spotters down the line just in case.... Common sense is not always common.... May these victims RIP...

- Andrew_59 , Arlington, United States, 16/11/2012 15:00

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Totally heartbreaking. Words fail . Hard to comprehend such horror.

- Nickyg , London, 16/11/2012 14:59

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My heart goes out to the families of the brave men who have their lives in this senseless tragedy. No amount of finger pointing is going to change anything or bring them back. Yet I am in awe that even in those final moments many reacted to save the lives of their loved ones instead of themselves. God bless those heroic men and give comfort to their families during this heartbreaking time.

- Tired of it all , Flyover states of america, 16/11/2012 14:58

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This is just so horrible, and like others I just don't understand how it could have happened. The lights and crossing bar were supposedly working fine, so the driver of the truck must have had warning? When I was a kid I was with my sister and grandma and my sister's car stalled. We thought we were on the tracks and a train was coming. My grandma and I fled the car. My sister knew she wasn't that close. I wonder if any of them tried to flee as they must have seen it coming?

- Tifany , Alabama, United States, 16/11/2012 14:57

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How horrible & how sad. The truck driver should have known better. Even though the train's engineers were not at fault, they'll be haunted by this for the rest of their lives. My heart goes out to everyone involved in this horrible accident.

- LindaM , Dallas, 16/11/2012 14:57

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"What dumb "F" planned this event and failed to check the train schedule for the tracks they'd be crossing? - Petey, Genoa, United States, 15/11/2012 20:22" And to all to every other fool on here These tracks are not commuter tracks, they are "working" tracks! Trains are always stopping and pulling into facilities to unload and load. they might go one way for two miles than another five picking up and dropping off. I stood next to the man who ran the show , I watched his heart just die over this. you cant schedule the wind.

- pepper , Midland Texas, 16/11/2012 14:55

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@- Ray01, NM USA, 15/11/2012 20:48 You say "clearly the driver of the float is a fault." How can you possibly know this? There is nothing clear about this tragedy. How do you know that the driver, who was with police escort as seen in the pictures, was not briefed or radioed by police and event organizers as having the tracks safe and clear? How do you know that there was not mechanical failure on the truck? Why do you ASSUME that he didn't wait for clearance and didn't have an issue of getting off the tracks in time? It is also clear in the article that the speed limit was 40 MPH and the train was doing 60 MPH, that may even be incorrect. How do you know that the UP was not notified and was supposed to be holding trains? The point is you don't. When things like this happen there are so many factors that can contribute to the end result, that it is impossible to make any kind of summary judgement immediately, Let investigators sort everything out before pointing fingers.

- Yankee Doodle , Tulsa, United States, 16/11/2012 14:54

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WOW, there sure is some Fat people in america,

- Fireball XL5 , Lostinspace, Benin, 16/11/2012 14:52

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