117th Air Refueling Wing Member Helps Stranded Neighbors During Snowstorm Published Feb. 14, 2014 By Tech. Sgt. Sofia Kater 117th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- I just did what came naturally for me; helping people. I have a passion for helping others, especially the ones unable to help themselves for whatever reason. I live in a house up on a slight hill entering my subdivision. We made it home before all the chaos. I picked up my daughter, Ka'Lise, from school and went to the store to get some snowed in snacks (ice cream). As I was approaching the hill, people were struggling to make it up and then I saw a truck go for it. I asked Ka'Lise if she was strapped in good because I was about to do this. I put my Crossover in low gear, gave it some gas and we made it with no problem! I didn't drive down that hill until Friday My mom, daughter and myself were glued to the television just amazed and shocked at how things turned so quickly. My neighbor had been calling me and couldn't get through, so she texted to ask if I could call her back. I finally got her voicemail and she sounded so pitiful. She asked me the condition of the hill coming to the neighborhood. I told her some people were sliding back down and the ones' who were not trying to go up the hill were parking on the highway. I asked her to call me once she got to the bottom of the hill. I told her I would bring her my rain boots because had on heels. Once I spoke with her I felt the need to call my other neighbors. I keep in contact with them on a regular basis to check on them. Everyone was trying to get home. I immediately let them know to call me when they got to the bottom of the hill. I wasn't able to go down the hill to get them. I was parked at the top of the hill and helped them get to their homes once they reached the top. Ka'Lise and I got out a couple of shovels (the shovel was my Ka'Lise's idea). We went to try and dig a pathway so people could make it up the hill. Of course, some guys came out to help but we were getting nowhere fast. By this time my neighbors finally made it home through the massive traffic. We started with two ladies and an eight-month-old baby. Once we dropped them off, I couldn't just stop. There were so many people struggling to get up the hill. I have no idea how many people we escorted to their front doors that afternoon. When dark fell that evening I was loading up kids with their parents in my truck. We went so long my daughter got tired and I dropped her off at home with my mom and I finally slowed down. One of my neighbors fell down coming up the hill and she called me to take her back to find her keys. On the way back to the top of the hill I saw people trying to make it up again. One neighbor started putting down salt which helped a few people make it. I went back to let most of the people I helped know that I could take them to get their vehicles before the next morning because the roads would freeze overnight. People thanking me and calling me an angel made me feel like I was doing what God wanted me to do! We have to be his hands and feet on earth! One lady walked to get her child because she didn't want to drive off the hill. I gave her my number to call, so I could go get her and her daughter. She said she wanted to give me something but she didn't have any cash. I told her not to worry about it because I wouldn't have taken it anyway. Her daughter said, "Yeah Mama, keep your money." I met plenty of my neighbors that day and we exchanged numbers. We get so caught up in our daily lives that we don't normally communicate with our neighbors. God uses things like the snow storm to get our attention. We are not on this earth to live ALONE. God's greatest command is to love your neighbor as you love yourself!