'I had to do it to save everyone': Man breaks into school & shelters a dozen people from blizzard

[kpete]

Jay Withey was stranded in Cheektowaga, a town in Erie County, New York, in the middle of a historic and dangerous blizzard, and — after looking for shelter in numerous homes and being turned away — he broke into a nearby school and managed to rescue nearly a dozen people.

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“I walk outside in the immediate area and there are a lot of older people that are stranded in their cars,” Withey said. “One person had a dog, and I get them all into the school. At this point, I have about 10 people in the school.” He estimated their ages ranged between 20s and 70s.

With the group settled in the school, Withey scavenged for cereal and apples in the cafeteria, managed to turn off the alarm, and found mats in the gym for everyone to sleep on.

“Everyone is just so happy to be in the school and to be warm and have food,” he said.

On Christmas morning, Withey and the others were able to use snow blowers from the janitor’s closet to free their cars from the mounds of snow.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/30/us/blizzard-new-york-rescue-school-break-in/index.html

[70sEraVet]

1. Sounds like the guy should get a medal.

[ewagner]

6. Under these circumstances.....

He should be charged with B & E....taken to trial and

FINED $1.00 and then given a certificate of appreciation by the Governor!!!!

[judesedit]

10. Good idea.

[Hekate]

2. Thank God for Jay Withey and his resourcefulness

[redstatebluegirl]

3. What a hero!

He no doubt saved lives! As far as the people who would not let him in, goodness what has this country come to? We had a blizzard in the 70's in Illinois. My Dad took the tractor and chains to go out and get people who were stuck. We ended up with 20 people at our house. My mom and I cooked to keep everyone fed.

Then when the power went out lots of candles and blankets. I still keep in touch with most of them, even Roger who kept beating me at poker!

This man reminds me of my parents, always doing the right thing.

[Journeyman]

5. Truly, what were they looking for, shelter for 72 hours or less? . . .

Not like they were there to start some rebel religion that would chip away at the ordered State and lead to significant cultural changes.

[LisaM]

11. True, though the irony is that it ultimately helped some of the others.

If he hadn't been turned away at the inn, so to speak, those people stranded in the parking lot - and the dogs - could likely have all died. It wasn't a good thing, it just happened to have turned out better that way, thank goodness.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. This is a good example of 'good trouble'. He saved lives by his actions. A hero.

[Rebl2]

7. Good trouble

Good citizenship and kindness to fellow citizens and a dog as well!!!

[AmBlue]

8. Beautiful story

Renews my faith in humanity... except for the people who turned him away. Imagine how many more could have been saved if all the people snug in their homes would have done what he did-- gone outside to scour the nearby surroundings to see if anyone was in trouble and needed shelter.

Jay Withey... what a good, good man.

[MagickMuffin]

9. Offered 500$ to sleep on the floor and no one took Jay's money

I suppose it was for the best since Jay saved a lot of lives that day.

[Cassidy]

13. Fortunately it wasn't a couple with a newborn

looking for shelter in Cheektowaga this Christmas!

[MagickMuffin]

15. Exactly, no room at the inn

I did wonder how many that turned Jay away consider themselves christian!

[peppertree]

12. Coke Can Thomas and Gorsuch-an-ass would have him put away for life

They're very much "no good deed does unpunished" type of justices.

Now - if our friend Jay had, say, bought out a well-run firm, loaded it with debt, made off with the borrowed proceeds, and then left hundreds of hard-working employees in the lurch - why, he'd be doing "God's work!"

Don't-cha-know

[llashram]

14. one of the good ones