MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Twice a month, WCCO-TV gets to do something pretty fun — surprise someone who’s helping others.  Along with American Equity Mortgage, the WCCO crew gives them $500 to spend, any way they want.

This week’s winner is Andy Hutson, who came to the rescue of two people last month — a person on Highway 169 and his own boss.

His wife nominated him for the big saves. First, he and a MnDOT employee shocked a guy who drove off the road after going into cardiac arrest.

“Yeah, I was just right behind the guy, happened to be in the right place at the right time,” said Andy Hutson, Making a Difference Award Winner. “We did what we had to do … what we were trained to do.”

Hutson knows a thing or two about helping people — he’s a firefighter as well as an IT guy. That training also came in handy last month at work.

“I came to work feeling not 100 percent that day,” said Hutson’s boss, Curtis Bell.

Bell had collapsed from bleeding ulcers.

“If Andy wasn’t here or if I was at home, I could have been out a lot longer and in worse shape and not being here, able to stand here and talk to you today,” said Bell.

Hutson has already received a community impact award at work for his firefighting, Habitat for Humanity and Junior Achievement work.

After jumping in to help two people in one month, his wife thought he deserved the Making a Difference Award, too.

“If it’s stressful or not … he knows that he’s got to do it. That’s just who he is,” said Amy Hutson, Andy’s wife.

When asked what he plans to do with the money, Andy Hutson brilliantly says, “Well, you know, I’ll give it to my wife.”

One of his wife’s friends calls him “Handy Andy.” He’s really lived up to that nickname lately.

If you know someone who’s making a difference in our community — let us know about them with a nomination form.

WCCO-TV’s Frank Vascellaro Reports