RED DEER, AB.— “I had just lost everything I owned. Didn’t even have a change of socks. My car, my job, our future. But when I saw that little puppy open his eyes, I broke down and cried with relief. I was just so happy we were all still alive.”

That from Keith Lenz, 32.

Last Saturday morning, Lenz and his wife Kayla, 24, were en route to Saskatchewan from Lacombe, AB, in a 1990 Chevy Sierra in search of a new life. The puppy he’s referring to was one of five tiny 12-week old pups riding behind the driver’s seat in a whelping box. Perched up front was the pup’s mother, Louise.

Outback: A nine-by-six U-Haul trailer, containing everything else the Lenz’s owned.

At about 1:30 a.m., 90 minutes into the trip, Lenz noticed his truck bogging down. He pulled over and realized that there was smoke coming from under the hood. He got out to look around and saw flames under the truck.

He and Kayla grabbed the dogs and moved away.

The first rig on the scene was piloted by Canada Cartage’s Steve Devavanyi, en route to Calgary. He pulled to the shoulder and leapt out of the cab with fire extinguisher ready.

But, according to Lenz, the truck had already started to burn up.

“There was quite a wind and it was fanning the flames,” he said. “We barely got out of the truck with our dogs and the whole thing went up like a Roman candle.”

“Steve put his life at risk fighting 12-ft flames coming out of my truck and doing everything he could to save us and our truck,” Keith said.

Kelly Malanik says she simply did what any person would do.

Next to arrive was Canada Cartage driver Kelly Malanik.

By that time, the entire U-Haul was blazing. All anybody could do was ensure that the occupants and animals stayed safe. (Nobody knows yet what caused the fire.) Fire fighters and the RCMP arrived shortly afterward.

And even though they lost the truck and trailer, the Lenz’s see  Malanik and Devavanyi as life-saving angels from heaven.

“After what happened to us Saturday,” Lenz said, “I have to tell you I have a whole new respect for truckers. They were awesome.”

“It was minus 30 out and we didn’t even have our jackets. Kelly told us get in her truck to get warm and she gave us water."

Then, Malanik further opened her heart to the couple and their dogs, eventually buying them coffee, offering clothes and blankets and even delivering them to Red Deer, where Kayla’s mom lives. And it was there that Keith saw that little puppy open his eyes.

Doug Walton is Malanik’s manager at Canada Cartage. He says he’s very proud of the drivers and says they have been commended by their company for their “bravery, compassion and heroism.”

What’s more, Canada Cartage Edmonton has actually established a trust fund for the stranded couple at Donate to Recovery Fund.

For her part, Malanik says she did simply what any person with a heart would do.

Except that before she was a trucker, Malanik served in the Armed Forces reserves and as an EMT. So she says she’s always on the qui vivre for people who might need help.

“I don’t consider myself a hero.” Malanik said. “And you know what man? I’m just doing the right thing.

“But if I can be an inspiration to somebody else, I would just love that.”

Wish granted Kelly.

Because to one recently wed, out-of-luck, down-at the-heels puppy-loving couple (whose truck wasn’t covered for fire-and-theft), Kelly Malanik and Steve Devavanyi are true trucker heroes.