Charles Bernsen, general manager of the Petro in Florence, South Carolina, has been named the winner of the 2024 TAT Harriet Tubman Award presented by Progressive Commercial.
Bernsen received the award, which includes a trophy and check for $5,000, from TAT Executive Director Esther Goetsch and TA CEO Debi Boffa at TA Florence, South Carolina on Oct. 2, the location where he worked as general manager when the incident occurred for which he was recognized. As an added surprise, the trafficking survivor Bernsen aided, Nikki, also attended the awards presentation. This marked the first meeting between the two since the incident that brought them together originally.
Bernsen, one of 18,000 TA employees who receive TAT’s human trafficking training annually, noticed a distressed young woman hanging around the store. She would disappear for periods of time into the restroom but then reappear in the lobby area. After a couple days of seeing her repeatedly, Bernsen approached her and asked if she needed help. She burst into tears, telling him she had escaped a man who had been holding her captive in a hotel across the street from the TA where he’d been selling her for sex. Bernsen offered her food, clothing, a blanket and information about TAT. He had her call the National Human Trafficking Hotline and speak to them, and then purchased a bus ticket for her to get home and provided money for expenses along the way. The young woman, Nikki, later made a video with TAT about her experience and said Bernsen’s soft-spoken demeanor and compassion enabled her to trust him.
Bernsen said the TAT training definitely better prepared him for this situation. “Once you’ve been exposed to all this evil,” he shared, “it’s always in the back of your mind that this could be happening, and it could happen in the blink of an eye. The education, the videos and conferences we’ve gone to have been a huge help.”
Speaking about the award, he said, “It’s very humbling. The main thing about this is that it can make everyone else in our company aware that we can make a difference if we pay attention and treat people better. That’s the main take away for me.”
“Charles’s vigilance, empathy, and acute actions for Nikki exemplify TAT’s mission,” Goetsch stated. “He knew exactly what to do when he found himself in the right place at the right time, a crucial moment that changed everything for her. Instead of turning a blind eye, he acted with compassion and courage. We are proud and grateful to present Charles with our 2024 Harriet Tubman Award.”
TAT created the annual award to honor a member of the trucking, bus or energy industry, whose direct actions help save or improve the lives of those exploited or prevent human trafficking from taking place. The award was named in honor of famed abolitionist Harriet Tubman, whose courageous personal actions resulted in the transportation of 300 slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad and whose overall role in the freedom movement was instrumental in the freeing of thousands more.
“We are extremely proud of the actions Charles took when encountering Nikki and are so grateful for the positive outcome in this situation,” said Boffa. “Charles is a true role model for all our team members, and I know his actions and this award will inspire others when they see something. Here at TA, we remain committed to educating all of our team members on human trafficking awareness and empowering them to take action; they are the eyes and ears of our nation’s highways, and, as Charles has shown, we can make a difference.”