Alec Higley and Jon Gilbert have been friends since they were kids. Alec says his friend has always loved helping other people, growing up to start a business called Honest Jon’s Auto in their hometown of Portland, Oregon. Jon enjoys helping people so much that whenever there’s bad weather, he hops in his SUV and cruises the neighborhood to see if anyone needs help.
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When a big winter storm hit the Portland metro area one February evening, Alec found himself stranded on an icy off-ramp on Northeast 82nd Avenue and Columbia Boulevard. He, along with about 20 other drivers, could not make it up the ramp, their tires spinning uselessly on the 2-3 inches of ice that lined the roads. After being stuck for hours, Alec called Jon.
“I had been sitting for about seven hours,” Alec recalled. “[Jon] brought food. He’s a good guy.”
As usual, Jon had thrown his tow straps and shackles into the back of his car, just in case. He crawled underneath his friend’s car and attached the tow strap, then pulled the sedan up the ramp so he could make his way home. But when Jon looked back and saw all of the other motorists still stuck on the icy ramp, he knew he couldn’t stop with helping just one person!
One by one, Jon started pulling cars to the top of the ramp. He didn’t stop until every car was cleared.
“The off-ramp there was just absolutely decimated,” Jon said. “Everyone was so thankful, people got kids at home and everything.”
It took hours for Jon to pull all of the sedans, minivans, and pick up trucks up the icy hill. He was out there until 6 a.m. in the freezing cold, but Alec says his friend was having the time of his life just being useful to others.
“You could say he was just enjoying himself, just making everyone happy and just helping,” said Alec.
When all of the cars had been pulled up the ramp and sent on their way, Jon faced one last challenge: a massive semi-truck carrying 6 tons of freight! It was a true David and Goliath situation, but Jon gave it the old college try nevertheless!
“We put in a valiant effort on it,” Jon said of his attempt to tow the truck. “Just the weight of those big rigs and 2-3 inches of ice was too much.”
The truck driver, Mary, was grateful just for the effort.
“What a guy,” she told local news. “That’s what we’re here to do, right? Help each other out. Sometimes in society it feels like we’ve forgotten that. Jon helps you remember.”
Well said, Mary! Jon is definitely the sort of guy we want around in an emergency. He’s a wonderful example of going out of your way to help others, even when the odds are against you!
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