"West with the best," by Bobbi McGee (For YoYo)

 Chances are if I told you that an industry legend in the world of trucking had slipped peacefully on down the road to eternity today, you would ask his name, well…. her name was Mirah “Lesa” Worley Hughes, but truck drivers knew her as YoYo. A true highway heroine, if you had the privilege of meeting her you might have been taken aback by her tiny petite frame but you better not have  underestimated her. That little lady could gear jam with the best of them. Under her trademark cowgirl hat sat a dedicated professional truck driver with over 40 years of coast to coast experience. A Tennessee native born in Lenior City back in 1956, no rig was too big and no horse was too coarse. While reviewing videos of her the past few days her soft spoken calm demeanor struck me, even while running in the first ever Atlanta Motor Speedway “bobtail" truck race, back in 1979, which she won, she held the hammer down and floated that 13 Peterbilt right past the competition at well over 100mph. Smooth, steady, and strong. If they invited her just to attract onlookers, what they found was she brought her A game and was nobody's window dressing. I have immense respect for any woman who will put it all on the line to provide for herself and her family. They are now living testaments to one of her many achievements, motherhood. Lesa stuck to her southern roots while exploring the beauty and even the beast of our nation from behind the wheel. She will be remembered as an icon for women in the transportation industry, actually, she is an icon for all drivers. A true trailblazer who set a hardy pace for the rest of us. Facing the battle of multiple sclerosis since 2011, she kept a warrior attitude and battled every step of the way in true fashion. I am sure there will be many trucking articles and content created about YoYo in the next few days, all well deserved, but my purpose in this piece is to memorialize this Peterbilt Princess as so much more. Lesa Worley Hughes was a hardworking dedicated professional, a mother to her daughter, a grandmother to her grandson, and a true friend to many. Rest easy driver, enjoy your layover until we catch you on the flip side. Thank you for leaving your mark on our hearts.
**Photo courtesy of Ten Four Magazine**

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