Going Over the Road After 22 years of driving locally, Sova decided in 2014 it was time to try something new. Sova says she and her husband, William, wanted to find a way to travel the nited States and get paid for it, so Sova switched to over-the-road driving. Sova and William—or Mr. Sova as Sova lovingly refers to him in her YouTube videos—have been married for 13 years, and although he isn’t certified to drive an 18-wheeler, he helps out in other ways. “My husband is incredible,” Sova says. William cooks, helps navigate and makes sure Sova is getting her rest and staying healthy. William plans to go through Prime’s driver training later this year to hopefully later run team with Dee. Sova and William enjoy exploring new places, trying different food and meeting all kinds of people that Although Sova has only been at Prime their travels afford. for a year, the company has made quite the They’ve also used their impression on her. “There is a pride worktraveling to give back ing for Prime that I have not seen in my while driving for Prime. almost 26 years of driving,” Sova says. “I Twice now Sova and feel like Prime puts the needs of their drivWilliam donated food ers ahead of everything else.” This was a receiver had refused. evident to Sova when a recent medical Once a receiver refused emergency put her out of work for 12 days. a shipment of potatoes “I have the best eet driver,” Sova says. because the boxes er eet manager, Steven Wray, kept in were damaged. Instead touch with her throughout her illness and of letting all of that reassured her everything would be fine. “I perfectly good food go like the fact that he really gets to know his to waste, Sova drove drivers,” she says. “We’ve had several two and a half hours meaningful conversations, and that’s someinto New York City to thing that is not normal because a lot of donate the shipment to these dispatchers and eet managers, they a rescue mission. just want to push you down the highway.” Another time, Sova Another thing Sova likes about Prime and William gave is how many female drivers work for the a shipment of Toll company. “I’m very proud to be part of the House cookies to a women at Prime,” Sova says. “They employ fire station. onating so many women drivers and that is anothrefused shipments is er thing that attracted me here.” Sova consomething Sova wants tinues to help other women in the trucking to do more of in the fu- industry and has a lot of wisdom to share ture. “It’s just the best with them, but her advice can be summed feeling in the world,” up best with the sentence: “Carry yourshe says. selves like the queens you are.”
“When they opened the door to the room, I knew exactly what they were going to tell me, which was that my daughter had been killed while she was walking and that she had pushed her younger sister out of the way.”
—Dee Sova
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PRIME WAYS
Photos courtesy Dee Sova
Sharmelia’s Story It was on that day that a drunk driver hit and killed Sova’s daughter Sharmelia Jeffries while she was walking outside of her high school. Sova’s youngest daughter, Ebony Jeffries, was injured in the incident but survived. When Sova got the call that her daughters had been in an accident, she rushed to the hospital. A social worker and the vice president of the high school met Sova at the hospital and shepherded her into a small room. “When they opened the door to the room, I knew exactly what they were going to tell me, which was that my daughter had been killed while she was walking and that she had pushed her younger sister out of the way,” Sova says. Losing Sharmelia was a devastating blow to Sova, but it was the impetus for her to turn her life around. “[Sharmelia] was just a rare gem,” Sova says. “To lose her, I just felt like my world was crumbling right in front of me, and right inside that tiny room, I just gave my life to God.” After Sharmelia’s death, Sova became involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Sova would go on to work with M.A.D.D. for 10 years, sharing her story with thousands of high schoolers. During her time with M.A.D.D., she also served as secretary of the board of directors and as the president of the Sacramento chapter of the organization. “That whole process, it was very much what I needed to get over grieving the loss of my daughter,” Sova says.