Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Linda Unruh shares memories of son, late resident Bobby Unruh.
Linda Unruh wears the sash and Honor of Bravery medal presented to her on behalf of her late son Bobby Unruh at the American Towman Exposition Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland.
The mother of a late Tucumcari resident received his posthumous Honor of Bravery medal at the American Towman Expo in Baltimore, Maryland.
"When I think about how fast this has all come to be, I know it was because of who Bobby was," said Linda Unruh, president of All-Rite Towing.
Linda is the mother of Bobby Unruh, 37, of Tucumcari was killed on Feb. 19, at mile marker 318 on I-40 near Montoya.
At the time of the accident Bobby Unruh was attempting to tow a commercial vehicle on I-40 that was broken down.
"I was amazed to learn how many people knew about my son, what he had done and the legislation Senate Bill 76 (Bobby's Law) that had come from his tragic death," Linda said.
Linda said she attended the expo, the largest towman expo in the nation, to speak and accept the award being given to Bobby for saving the life of a coworker on the day he was killed.
"As a mother it was touching to receive the award for my son," Linda said. "It also reinforced my goal of keeping the awareness out there, so all of our first responders can go home."
Linda said while she was flying home from Baltimore she had time to think about all that has happened in such a short amount of time. She said from transport of the American Towman Magazine's Spirit Ride ceremonial casket through Tucumcari in July in honor of Bobby, to the passing of Bobby's Law and placing of signs along Interstate 40 reminding drivers to slow down and move over.
"I love our community, without the residents of Tucumcari, my family and all of Bobby's friends I don't think any of this would have been possible," Linda said.
Linda said the outpouring of support from the community, their posts on social media for legislation change and showing up for the events honoring Bobby have been crucial in all that has happened.
"I will stay the course to keep Bobby's legacy alive," Linda said. "Only by keeping the awareness in the forefront of social media and the public can we make something great out of something so tragic."
