Check Out These Stories of Compassion on the Road

After lots of hours on the road, even the cheeriest driver can start growling about the selfish and inconsiderate folks who seem to be taking over the highways. But while the texters, the weavers and the tailgaters create frustration, they are outnumbered by the polite and helpful. A few significant reminders from the past month of the compassion that can be found on the road:

Strong together
A trucker driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on a snowy day, lost control of his truck and swerved across two lanes of traffic before crashing through a guardrail. The cab was hanging off the side of a hill, there was smoke billowing around the truck, and the driver was stuck.

People started coming out of their cars, running toward the truck to help, and spontaneously linked arms to form a human chain to reach the driver and get him out of danger.

“It was absolutely amazing,” said a man on the scene. “It helped remind us that we are all people and it is our responsibility to help other humans.

Unexpected helper
Winter storm Jonas hit the Baltimore area hard, and Air Force Lt. Col Kirby Bowling knew what he needed to do that day. He got in his four-wheeler and hit the highway to help anyone who was stuck in the snow. He pulled a semi stuck in a bank by I-95. He helped car after car after car. He gave rides to people who were walking. He helped a nurse get out of her driveway so she could get to work. In the end he traveled 60 miles from his home and helped 29 drivers.

“In the military, we fight for people who can’t fight for themselves,” he told the Baltimore Sun. “People help each other out. In peace and in war.”

Roadside rescue
Tom, a trucker from Texas, driving Highway 58 in California spotted a little white dog, hiding in a burrow by the side of the road. She was shivering and frightened, wearing a leash — obviously a lost pet. He scooped her up to warm up in his truck and tried to find the owner. A post on Facebook, with a photo of the pup, actually did the trick. It turns out the Maltese mix, named Mia, had run out of the car during a pit stop during a family trip and nobody realized it. They had gone back looking for her without any luck and were heartbroken and worried for her.

Once they connected with the trucker, he was already headed back to Texas, but arranged for his next load to take him to California. For a week, Tom took care of Mia, giving her a pillow to use as a doggy bed and keeping a supply of food and chew sticks on hand until she got back to her family.

Once in California, he watched Mia react to seeing her family again.
“She’s quite happy,” he said with a smile.