JAMES Clarke's first thought when his car broke down on the busy A38 was for the safety of his family and fellow motorists.
Mr Clarke, his wife and one of his daughters were stranded in the car when it broke down on the inside lane at night.
He tried to push it on to the roadside verge to put it in a safe position, but, tragically, was fatally injured when a passing vehicle hit his Vauxhall Astra.
He was taken to hospital where he later died.
His wife, Mandy, 40, of Willington, said: "It was a very busy road and it would have definitely caused a big smash. He was very anxious to get us safe."
The collision happened on the northbound carriageway at Clay Mills, Burton, at 10.35pm on Friday, September 12.
Mrs Clarke said: "We had broken down on the inside lane of the A38 and I was behind the wheel.
"James pushed me to where it was safe which was a well-lit area so it would not cause a pile-up.
"It was typical of my husband, he would never put anybody in danger because it would have been a fatal crash with how busy that stretch of road is.
"He was selfless and he did everything a dad should do, and he knew that."
His mum, Lyn Clarke, said: "When I heard what he did it did not surprise me. He would give his life in a blink.
"James was very family-orientated and there was not a selfish bone in his body and this proves that.
"Everybody feels the same way and that is how I brought him up."
Mr Clarke was a partner in the building firm MDL Derby and previously worked at Toyota.
He leaves two daughters, Beth, 16, and Georgia, 12.
The family had days previously just got back from a holiday of a lifetime in Mexico.
His mother said: "James was completely dedicated to all of the family and would do everything he could for the girls.
"He would always help people and gave away freebies, especially to older people. He did jobs for people and would never said no.
"He would always say morning to people. He went out in Derby and was also very popular in the village.
"He was funny and had a fantastic sense of humour."
The memories of the holiday in Mexico are providing the family with some comfort after the tragedy. His wife said the family went on quite a few vacations but this was really special.
Mrs Clarke said: "We had only been back from Mexico for a week. The memories will stick with us as a family because it was amazing.
"It was where we went as a honeymoon and we wanted to take the girls.
"We met some lovely families who we spent the holiday with. Apart from the honeymoon, it was the best time of our life.
"We had good holidays all over the world."
Mr Clarke trained as a plumber when he was younger, before his career path took a different route.
He moved to Willington in 2001, having previously lived in West Hallam.
The family have more than 100 sympathy cards in their house and hundreds of mourners are expected to gather at his funeral next Monday at St Michael's Church in Willington.
The service will start at 1.45pm.
Mrs Clarke said: "It has left me devastated. There are no other words to describe it.
"If James loved you, then you knew it. Although he was known for his great personality, he was also there for people when his friends had a crisis. He would knock on their door and support them. His ways had a big influence on the family.
"We have a very close family and we will stick together."
Only family flowers are requested at the funeral and all donations are going towards Help For Heroes, a charity close to Mr Clarke's heart.
His mother said: "James knew people in the forces and he was a very patriotic man. He was very proud of them and believed in Queen and Country.
"The funeral will be a celebration of his life and it will be a chance to reflect his manner. It's all about reflecting all of those silly moments and the daft things he did."
