After a motorist who became stranded in upstate New York‘s deadly winter storm found a safe place to ride it out, he went to great lengths to lead dozens of others to it as well, in what officials are hailing as a lifesaving and heroic rescue effort.
Jay Withey, 27, of Kenmore, New York, made sure 24 people who were stuck on the side of the road during the storm were safe, according to police.
On Friday, the blizzard stranded Withey in Cheektowaga, just east of Buffalo. When he ran out of gas Saturday morning, he decided to leave his car and walk to Pine Hill School, where he broke a window to get inside.
He didn’t stay inside for long, though. He quickly returned outside, looking for other stranded motorists to direct to the school.
“My mission was just to keep going out and grabbing as many people as I can and to just keep going,” Withey explained. “I just kept walking and walking until I couldn’t walk any further. “I just kept walking, and I walked until I cried and I couldn’t walk any further. I was just beat.”
He pried open the kitchen door inside the school to gather supplies to help feed the group. He also discovered the nurse’s office and procured blankets and water.
Withey stated that he left the front door of the school open overnight so that others could join the group.
He estimated that they were trapped in the school for about 24 hours.
Withey said that once it appeared safe to leave Sunday morning, he found a snowblower in the school and assisted everyone in digging out their cars so they could drive home.
“I just couldn’t ask for more better people to get stuck with,” he said.
But he felt bad about the broken window and attempted to repair it on his way out, but he was unsuccessful. Withey left a note for officers to find in which he apologized for the shattered glass window and scavenging for supplies.
“I’m terribly sorry about breaking the school window and for breaking in the kitchen,” he wrote. “I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter and food and a bathroom.”
He signed it “Merry Christmas Jay” but did not include his last name. When the Cheektowaga Police Department discovered it, they didn’t know who to thank.
They shared the note and security photos on social media, asking for help in identifying the good Samaritan.
“We watched the video surveillance and witnessed people taking care of people,” said the police department in a statement. “This group of amazing people took care of each other and the building they found shelter in. We want to identify ‘Jay’ and have him recognized for his going above and beyond actions that
lives were saved.”
Chief Brian Gould stated that the entire department is grateful for Withey’s actions and that the community should use his story to help them grieve following the storm.
Police stated that they do not anticipate the school filing any charges.
The storm is responsible for at least 40 deaths in New York, the majority of which occurred in Buffalo. Authorities have warned that as the National Guard conducts door-to-door checks, the death toll could rise.
Withey will never forget this Christmas.
“I hope people realize it’s important to be kind and to do the right thing to help one another,” he added.
