Sturtevant man receives Carnegie Award for act of heroism after saving man from fiery I-94 crash

JR Radcliffe
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Justice McBain (left) helped save the life of Kelvin Yde (right) after a fiery crash on I-94 in June of 2019.

Justice McBain doesn't know if he'd call it being cursed or blessed.

"We can go a little bit of both," he said.

McBain is just 22 years old, but the longtime Sturtevant resident has found himself in close proximity to harm's way a few times. Heck, just a couple months ago, he said he came to the aid of a motorist in a crash right in front of him.

"I was just driving trying to get some McDonald's and somebody got T-boned right in front of me," he said. "Their air bags deployed, and I cut through the air bag and helped them out. I was thinking, 'This just needs to stop happening around me.' "

McBain said it was the third time he'd been in position to assist a motorist in a crash. His actions following a fiery accident a year ago are the reason he'll receive what's considered the highest civilian honor in the United States. 

Kelvin Yde receives medical attention in 2019 after being pulled from a burning car on I-94.

McBain, who was 21 years old when he pulled a Hartland native from a burning car following a massive I-94 accident, will receive the Carnegie Medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, acknowledging individuals from the United States and Canada who risked their lives to an extraordinary degree to save another. 

"It was definitely the scariest thing I've ever been through," he said. "I don't know if I'd say (I was worried about) blowing up, but tires popping and all that, it was scary. Lots of loud noises."

McBain, a technician at an RV dealership who recently graduated from Gateway Technical College with a degree in criminal justice, stopped at the scene of the multi-car crash June 19, 2019, and ran to the burning vehicle belonging to 20-year-old Kelvin Yde.

"It was pretty terrifying," said McBain, who was traveling with his girlfriend at the time, Shelby Halbur, also 21 at the time. "We were the first vehicle not in the accident and had to back out of the flames. I had to lock up the brakes and was very close to being in it."

After noticing Yde's vehicle, McBain exited his own and forced Yde's driver door open. McBain found Yde pinned against his seat by the steering wheel beneath the collapsed windshield and pushed the damaged windshield off Yde. He cut the seatbelt with a pocket knife and extracted Yde from the car. Two other motorists helped carry Yde to safety.

“I helped them because that's what you’re supposed to do," McBain said last year after the crash. "I don't see myself as a hero. I just did what was right and helped someone that needed it."

Yde, a National Guardsman who was driving to work from his apartment in Kenosha, suffered broken bones in his hip and arm but no serious burns. The two still message each other and that Yde is now deployed.

Justice McBain of Sturtevant will receive the Carnegie Medal for his heroism.

"Recovery has been a difficult journey so far and will continue to pose challenges for the rest of my life," Yde said via email. "A big part of who I am as person —an athlete, high functioning worker and my ability to push my body — will be very difficult moving forward. However, I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to face those challenges head on and hopefully persevere in life regardless. I have Justice, Shelby and others to thank for that. 

"I have had the opportunity to hang out with Justice and his family on a few occasions since the accident. They are amazing people and have been there for me in every way imaginable. The accident has been hard on everyone involved, including them, and I am there for them as well! I’m very happy to call them friends."

McBain said he has no idea who nominated him for the Carnegie award. Oddly enough, he said that crash wasn't even the first time he'd helped someone in an accident.

"I never expected that this would have blown up like this," he said. "I was just trying to help him out. After getting to know him, I know he would have done the same for me." 

JR Radcliffe can be reached at (262) 361-9141 or Follow him on Twitter at @JRRadcliffe.