Garbageman pulls 93-year-old into truck as Camp Fire spreads

[babylonsister]

Garbageman pulls 93-year-old into truck as Camp Fire spreads
The two share an unbreakable bond
KCRA Updated: 8:13 PM PST Nov 10, 2018
Max Resnik


As the Camp Fire encroached on Magalia, a 93-year-old woman stepped out on her front porch hoping someone might see her.

Then, her garbageman showed up.

As Butte County's Camp Fire rapidly spread Thursday morning, Margaret Newsum began her day as she always does.

"I got up as usual, went in and had some oatmeal as usual, and I turned the TV on and then they said there was a fire going into Paradise," she said.

Her caregiver, who lives in Paradise, was already gone for the day.

Newsum was alone with her two indoor cats. She has five others that live outdoors.

Fearing what was to come, she stepped outside. Moments later, a familiar face arrived in his brand-new truck.

"I went out and was standing on the front porch when this great, big, green monster drove up, and my dear friend was emptying the garbage, and I have had him as my worker -- I call him my private worker because he’s so great -- and he said, 'You’re not staying here. You've got to get out of here. Why are you still here?'" she recalled.

That man was Dane Ray Cummings, a Waste Management driver.

After discovering Newsum had no family in the area and couldn't reach her caregiver by phone, he decided to break company protocol and load her into his truck with the help of people nearby.

"They lifted her, and we scooted her on the seat and put the seat belt on her and made sure she was up there far enough so she wouldn't fall out either side, and that was it. We were on the road," said Cummings.

They had to be careful. Newsum is recovering from a broken back.

The garbageman had been alerted to the fast-moving fire a short time earlier by a supervisor who wanted him to cut bait and head home. Cummings didn't and instead finished his route. He wanted to get to Newsum's part of Magalia because he knew there would be dozens of older residents in need of help.

"I been on that route eight years, and I just picked the people that I knew were older, and I tried to stop and help them and let them know that they were coming and make sure they were getting out," he said. "She was my last stop. I probably went to 45 or 50 people to see if I could help them."

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https://www.kcra.com/article/garbageman-pulls-93-year-old-into-truck-as-camp-fire-spreads/24951841

[Niagara]

1. K&R!

It's nice to know that someone was thinking about her and her safety!

[FSogol]

2. Awesome story, thanks for posting. Kudos Mr. Cummings. n/t

[GeoWilliam750]

3. Goodness comes in so many shapes and sizes and colors

Hats off to Mr Cummings.

[malaise]

4. Wonderful

There are good people

[Hortensis]

5. Happy feelings. There are many of these stories, of course.

That couple with three children, in the video where the husband sped so determinedly through the fire to save his family while she prayed, also had a person along she called a "hitchhiker." Whoever that was, his or her family knows.

[Hekate]

6. Mr. Rogers mother: "Look for the helpers."

[appalachiablue]

7. Wonderful, uplifting story of buddies, thanks for posting.

[dhol82]

8. Hope the cats survived.

No nasties.
Just hope the cats survived.

[Duppers]

9. Was thinking the same.

To many of us, our pets are full-fledged family members. Our hearts are entwined with them - their welfare matters so much.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Yes, I hope, as well. Article said neighbors helped load the lady into the truck,

hope if she couldn't take the kitties, one of the neighbors agreed to be their caretaker until the emergency was over.

I believe any decent person would have offered to help her. Here's hoping they were good people, and they probably are if they went out of their way to help the truckdriver loading her into his vehicle.

[meow2u3]

11. I was thinking about the kitties, too

Those kitties are her babies and she would be devastated if they perished.