COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – While the winter storm posed a lot of problems across North Texas, there were also a lot of warm-hearted gestures during the bitter cold that are worth taking note of.
Kirby Rogers has been out of a job as a pipeliner for three months, but over the last two days, the McKinney resident has been working as hard as ever.
“I’m actually laid off right now. I work in North Dakota. That’s where my experience comes driving in the snow and ice,” said Rogers.
The 21-year-old just couldn’t sit around at his home during the winter storm, with his 4-wheel drive pickup parked outside.
“I already had a couple of people reaching out like, ‘hey you know, I know you’re comfortable with these roads, do you have the ability to help me out with a ride’?”
Rogers posted free-ride offers for anyone who needed to safely get somewhere.
Since early Thursday, he said he’s helped more than two dozens medical workers and others get to their jobs while recruiting two friends to do the same.
Just the satisfaction of seeing the look on their faces that we were able to come out and help them when they originally thought in their mind was, ‘Well crap I’m gonna have to call into work now’.”
There are so many other examples of the North Texas community looking out for each other.
Some McKinney residents, including Mayor George Fuller, worked to get a hot meal for a homeless man in a remote part of the city who eventually accepted an offer of shelter.
In Plano, at least one resident spent hours Friday evening cutting limbs from a large downed tree in a stranger’s front yard.
“I thought I might clean up and put piles where it needs to be so that way when the city comes and come pick it up as well,” said Nhia Thao.
Thao appreciated the homeowner’s offer to accept whatever he cuts up to take home as firewood for the coming cold nights.
“They blessed me with wood and I should help them out stack these up so that way it’s nice and tidy. They are helping me, keeping me warm my family warm,” he said.
There are other kind gestures, from people helping pull vehicles out of ditches to making sure seniors living alone get meals.
When Mother Nature brings her worst, North Texas seems to bring out its best.
