Authorities in Huntsville say a homeless man could have been crushed to death after being thrown into the back of a garbage truck on Monday.

The man was sleeping in a dumpster when a Republic Services truck on its rounds picked up the dumpster, emptying its contents – including the man – into the back of the truck.

Fortunately, the driver checked the cameras on his truck before turning on the compactor. He helped the man get out of the truck and called his supervisor, Operations Manager Chuck Cantrell.

Cantrell responded by buying the man clothes and boots and helped him find a shelter.

He said if the driver hadn’t followed his training, the man would likely have been killed.

It was a true Christmas miracle.

(WAAY-TV)

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.