Garland resident volunteers to drive people to the store, pull cars out of ditches during ice storm
GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - You may not want to get out in this weather but for a lot of North Texans, they need to for food, prescriptions, work and a lot of other important reasons.
In Garland, some volunteers have been coming to the rescue of a lot of people over the last 48 hours.
Rain and ice fell throughout the day making it harder to get roads and highways cleared.
Rather than putting yourself in danger and trying to drive on this, you can reach out to some of the winter storm warriors who can get you where you're going or get you what you need.
Patrick Abell couldn't show or sell homes, so the Garland realtor decided to spend the last two days driving his four-wheel drive Jeep over ice covered roads to help others who can't safely get around.
"Pulling people out of ditches, getting them going, picking up groceries," Abell said. "Somebody's got to do it, these people are afraid to get out and the community needs it."
Abell says he's completed about five trips to pick up groceries and prescriptions for strangers stuck at home.
He's also given eight rides to work including this health care worker.
But it may be the 60 vehicles he's pulled from ditches that's the most impressive, including two 18-wheelers.
"I enjoy helping others," he said. "I've taken several people to work today that wouldn't have been able to make it."
Abell's daughter says she's proud of her dad who says he won't accept money even from those who offer it.
It's an experience that Abell says has several of his friends following his lead and also volunteering to provide free transportation and deliveries until it's safe to drive.
"The overwhelming response is positive people love it, and it makes me happy. It's nice to help people," Abell said.
There are a lot of Good Samaritans like Abell who you can find on neighborhood and community social media profiles.
