A lorry driver has been hailed for saving a man from falling from a motorway bridge after he stopped his truck beneath the victim and climbed onto the cab to support him until officers could secure him.

Dan Shillito, 34, of Hull, was driving south on the M1 towards Derby on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 6, when he saw an emergency message on a motorway information board and, as he approached the Palterton Lane bridge in Chesterfield, noticed a leg dangling over the edge. He pulled his Samskip vehicle under the bridge at the request of a traffic officer and climbed onto the roof to help.

Footage recorded by another motorist and shared on social media shows Mr. Shillito emerging from his cab, climbing onto the lorry roof and placing the man’s feet on his shoulders to help hold him up. Police officers then climbed onto the vehicle and took over the rescue. Derbyshire Police said the man was led to safety with assistance from a member of the public and was taken to hospital to be checked over; no one was injured.

Mr. Shillito, a married father of two who has driven lorries for eight years, told reporters he acted on instinct and later received hundreds of messages thanking him for his actions. "I just shouted out to the traffic officer to ask if he wanted me to pull my truck underneath the bridge to stop the man from falling on the ground," he said. "I put his feet on my shoulders to support him, so I was holding him up and held onto him for a few minutes."

The driver said he was calm during the rescue and only realised the impact of the moment after he drove away. He added that he hoped the man recovered and that he had since received a message from the man’s son thanking him for saving his father’s life. His wife, Rikki, said she was proud of his actions.

Derbyshire Police said officers were deployed to the scene near junction 29 of the M1 at about 6:30 p.m. and that a stretch of the motorway was temporarily closed while emergency services dealt with the incident. The force confirmed the man was led to safety and that no injuries were reported.

Video of the rescue has been widely shared online, attracting millions of views and thousands of comments praising the lorry driver. Social media commenters described the action as heroic, while Mr. Shillito described his own reaction as simply doing "what anyone else would do." He said four officers eventually joined him on the truck roof and took over the rescue.

The incident occurred days before World Suicide Prevention Day. Police and emergency services routinely advise members of the public who encounter someone in distress to seek professional help from trained responders. For confidential support, organisations such as Samaritans are available; in the U.K. callers can reach Samaritans at 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org for local branch details.