Man breaks into school and shelters nearly a dozen people from blizzard

[nightwing1240]

As a deadly and historic blizzard barreled through Erie County, New York, last weekend, some residents found themselves in a dire scenario – stranded in howling snow with nowhere to go, their cars dwindling in gas supply with police unable to come to the rescue.

Among those trapped last Friday was Jay Withey, a mechanic in the town of Cheektowaga who had ventured out to help a trapped friend, but instead got caught in the snow himself. Over the course of the night, he would be turned away by several people he begged for help, eventually committing a final act of desperation to save himself and at least 10 others from the brutal storm.

snip

Withey said he went to ten households, offering each $500 to spend the night on their floor. All of them turned him away. “I plead with them, ‘Please, please can I sleep on the floor, I’m in fear for my life,’ and they say, ‘No I’m sorry’,” he said.

Feeling defeated, Withey tried to walk back to his truck, but became lost in the blustery wind and thick snow.

“My vision is getting foggy, my body is cramping up, and I’m fearing for my life,” he said.

Link https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/30/us/blizzard-new-york-rescue-school-break-in/index.html (much more there)
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What an act of heroism. There have been other stories relating to those that died in the storm. This is one with a happy ending.

edited to correct the link

[Duncanpup]

1. Terrible I could never deny anyone shelter.

[Skittles]

6. this no doubt sounds bad

but I was relieved to see he wasn't a POC

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

19. I can't even imagine saying no.

[Skittles]

2. ....

jeez, I would be leery about letting a stranger in my home but...during a BLIZZARD?

[nightwing1240]

3. Just did, thank you :)

[Duncanpup]

4. Skittles I would take you in yet I'd hide the good silverware

[Skittles]

5. HAR

me no need no stinking silverware!

[Irish_Dem]

7. Americans have become fearful and mistrusting.

[calimary]

8. Angels among us.

[ananda]

9. What's wrong with those people?

Mary and Joseph were turned away too.

This country is so fucked!

[underpants]

10. This is lost on those belittling the migrants in the border

on Christmas Eve let alone Abbott’s stunt. Seriously there’s no connection in their minds.

[dsc]

11. I would have let him in, though I am a single male with no kids

if I were a single female with little children, I can see being worried. I am not sure I would be too hard on someone in that situation saying no.

[samnsara]

12. i live in the mtns where power stops right after my house..i have had many people bang on my

..door needing help as they did something stupid with their car in the deep snow. I always let them in so they can use the phone, warm up etc. I give them coffee or hot cocoa and food if they are hungry. By the time they reach my house a cpl of them had hiked for miles from the hills. Even the dang UPS guy ran off the road and I had to sheltered him til a tow truck came.

But I can surely see... if the occupants were elderly or alone...not letting any one in who may have to live there for days and days.

[nightwing1240]

13. It would be a very difficult choice to allow a stranger(s) in your home

But given the circumstances, I doubt I could have turned these people away. That does not make me a better person. I just know for myself I would have problems knowing I could have helped and something bad happened because I did not.

[dembotoz]

14. we hear stories about the folks who let stranger in...reality check

whole bunch of other folks did not.

perhaps we need to hear those stories as well

[nightwing1240]

15. I will post that should I come across it

You may as well. With all the bad in the world I like to point out something good.

[Joinfortmill]

16. Wow. A microcosm of the world, I guess.

[secondwind]

17. I, personally, could not turn away anybody who is trying to stay alive in a blizzard.

And I am not a young person. I simply could not live with myself, seeing all the snow pouring down, and having turned away someone...

[dawn5651]

18. i am glad he finally found shelter for himself and 10 others in the school

jay is a hero who should be honoured for his bravery...to those that refused to take him in...tears mean nothing..

[cannabis_flower]

20. I can see both sides of this

I think a solution would be to say “I want to see your driver’s license and I want to call my sister and give her your name and license number”. That might seem mean but bad people can and do take advantage of situations to do terrible things. Better safe than sorry.