Local Hero Honored
“What is lying in the ditch up ahead?” This was the first thing that ran through Jacob’s mind when he was driving one of his rural Kingman County trash routes a few days before Christmas. As he came closer, he realized that it was a Chevy Equinox lying on its side in the ditch, and there was an elderly lady struggling to get out of the vehicle! As he ran to help her, he realized that the situation was even worse than he imagined. Icy water was rushing into the vehicle!
Jacob quickly decided that opening the back hatch was the best option. Jacob let her know that he was there to help her and that he was going to try to open the back hatch. After he got the hatch open, he called 911 and moved several things that had been thrown around in the crash, to make it easier for her to get out of the vehicle.
The temperature had been 10 degrees the night before, and Jacob knew that only half of his job was done. He needed to get her somewhere warm, where she could begin to warm up and dry off. Once she was free of the vehicle, he helped her into the passenger side of his trash truck and turned the heat up as far as possible. She was so grateful that she wasn’t out in the cold and wind.
As they were waiting in the trash truck for the ambulance to arrive, she mentioned that her shoulder and neck hurt. She also asked Jacob if she could use his phone to call her husband since her phone had died in the water.
17 long minutes after Jacob called 911, the first of the emergency vehicles arrived, and the flurry of activities began. A neck brace was put on her, and she was immediately taken to the ambulance.
An hour later, after the last emergency vehicle left, Jacob left and continued his route, grateful that he had arrived when he did!
Later, after she was treated and released from Wesley Medical Center, the woman’s husband called Nisly Brothers and talked to Marvin. He was so grateful for everything that Jacob had done, and said, “Jacob gave me the best Christmas gift ever!”
A special recognition for Jacob’s actions is scheduled for January 28, 2020.
