Football Team Honors Local Hero Who Rescued People In Blizzard With Super Bowl Tickets

Jan 20, 2023 by apost team

A mechanic from Buffalo, New York, has been hailed a hero despite breaking and damaging school property to save 24 lives, including himself. 

Jay Withey was helping out a friend who was already trapped in the middle of a snowstorm in the town of Cheektowaga around 6 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2022. He drove his truck to get his friend despite the brutal snowstorm. As Withey weaved through the road, where dozens had already abandoned their vehicles, he also managed to pick up and help other locals trying to escape the harsh weather, including Mary, an elderly woman.

However, Withey's truck eventually got stuck as more snow piled on. He tried to dig a path but realized that he and the people on his truck could die from the cold the longer they stayed outside.

Withey's group then started knocking on doors and begged people to let them inside. He even asked ten houses to give them shelter and even offered to pay $500 for the night, even if they had to sleep on the floor. They were turned down, according to Fox News.

With no other choice, Withey's group was huddled inside his truck. He turned on the engine to keep everyone warm but soon ran out of gas in the morning. Withey eventually resorted to breaking into a local school to shelter everyone. 

His heroic acts may very well have saved the lives of the people he helped during the storm. For this bravery and quick thinking, Withey has understandably received a lot of attention and well-wishes. The Buffalo Bills football team, in particular, wanted to thank this local hero, reaching out via social media in January 2023 to offer him a once-in-a-lifetime gift.

The story of Withey's actions during the blizzard spread over the new year. The news of how he had used brake pads to smash the windows in the school kitchen, causing the security alarm to go off, captivated readers who'd spent the blizzard in more hospitable conditions. 

After securing this shelter, Withey had even then tried to see if there were still more stranded people outside and led them to the school. All in all, he managed to rescue two dozen people between the ages of 20 to 70 years old, along with some pets.

Withey then remained at the school, not leaving until 8:00 p.m. on Christmas Day when the last of the people he rescued had gone home. Touchingly before leaving, Withey wrote a note of apology, which was later discovered by the Cheektowaga Police Department.

He wrote, "To whomever it may concern, I'm terribly sorry about breaking the school window and for breaking in the kitchen … I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter and food and a bathroom."

Fox News reported that the police could later tell from the surveillance cameras that the break-in was clearly an emergency. 

News stations weren't the only ones taking notes of Withey's heroics. The Buffalo Bills tweeted, recognizing his bravery, writing, "He rescued 24 people from their cars during the Buffalo blizzard and sheltered them in a nearby school." Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas honored Withey. The Bills posted a video featuring several players offering "two tickets to Super Bowl LVII." What a terrific reward for such an act of bravery. 

apost.com

Have you ever been stuck in a snowstorm during the winter? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, as well as any Buffalo Bills fans!