Good Samaritans along I-10 in Alabama

Via Barry Bennett - Facebook

December 23 at 7:10am ·

Interstate 10 - Alabama

Here is my Christmas story for 2015.

While traveling back to Pensacola with a friend yesterday, we passed a brown Chevy that had just run off the road. It was raining and the road was wet. We all have passed a car sitting in the ditch, but this time, we were the first vehicle to stop and check on the driver. There was a car in front of us with Tennessee plates and we both backed up to see if we could help.

I walked down the steep embankment to talk to the driver. There were 2 muddy tire tracks leading to the car, but it appeared that there was no damage to the car. The driver, a 25-ish woman, was on the phone with the Alabama Highway Patrol and she had a 1 year old and a 5 year old in the back seat, both in car seats and safe.

A guy in a 4 wheel drive also stopped and then the Trooper pulled up. The driver jumped out and said he could help pull her our. I told the Trooper that I thought the only way to get the car out was with a tow truck, but this kid was driving down into the ditch before we could say anything. We hooked up the truck and car and he managed to pull the car about 20 feet before sliding his truck all the way down the hill into the concrete slipway.

So now we have two stuck vehicles.

But this kid had guts. He powered up and somehow drove is truck back up the muddy hill and back onto the pavement. I've been around redneck boys all of my life and this kid knew how to drive a truck.

I called AAA to try to use my membership to pay for her tow, but while on the phone, the Bama country boy was beginning to inch the car up the hill.

Back on the shoulder, we managed to pull the car out of the mud using small nylon straps.

Here is why my faith in the goodness of people was re-charged.

This 20 year old kid stopped to help, put himself and his truck in jeopardy, and helped a total stranger.

Someone raised a good young man. The girl offered to pay us all something but we all laughed and told her Merry Christmas. She was in tears. She did not have $200 plus to pay for a tow. Her accident ended up costing nothing more than an hour of adventure and a good lesson on driving in the rain.

The Trooper handed the kid (Blue t-shirt in the pictures) his card and said if he ever got in a pinch, have the LEO give him a call. I told the kid he just got a Get Out Of Jail card for Christmas.

So in spite of all the Michael Browns (Ferguson MO hero) of the world, there are many great young Americans in this country. It made me think of how lucky I am to have two great sons who I know would have also jumped in to help, just like this kid did.

We all stood there soaked to the skin on the shoulder of I-10...but never felt warmer in my life.