Woman pulls paraplegic from burning van, honored

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Diane McLamb never considered herself a hero until a family friend heard her story and contacted a local reporter. Her selfless act to help a stranger in need will be honored this week at Richmond International Raceway as McLamb and her husband will attend the Lipton Tea 250 as guests of CJM Racing and America's Incredible Pizza Co.

America's Incredible Pizza Co. and CJM Racing are honoring Incredible Heroes throughout the 2009 Nationwide Series season. If you know of an Incredible Hero, let us know.

• E-mail a nomination
• Official Web site

The Chesterfield County resident was crossing the Edward E. Willey Bridge on March 11, 2009 when she saw Hayssam "Ali" Agharaad waving for help. Although her gas tank was nearly empty, McLamb pulled over and left her car running while she went to check on the man.

Agharaad immediately let her know that the car was on fire and that he could not walk. He asked her to get his wheelchair out of the van but because the motorized lift was blocked by the way he had parked, she could not get it out of the van. She then proceeded to pull him from the driver's seat and place him on the ground.

Two men pulled over to the side of the road not too long after Agharaad was pulled from the vehicle. McLamb, worried that her car would run out of gas, left quickly after the men arrived to help. Agharaad was pulled further away from the burning vehicle which then burst into flames.

McLamb's identity remained a mystery up until the point where the family friend called in the incredible act to a local reporter.

"I remembered an incident where I broke down on the side of the road and it took an hour for somebody to help me," McLamb said. "People just don't stop like they used too. I was glad to help him out. It was no problem."

While attending the Nationwide Series event at Richmond, McLamb and her husband will have a VIP experience that will place them atop the pit box during the race under the lights. They also will have an opportunity to spend some time with Scott Lagasse Jr., driver of the No. 11 America's Incredible Pizza Co. Toyota on race day.