Read on for a neat story of how God provided for one of our drivers! We’re so thankful that He still sends ‘Good Samaritans’ to help those in need.
By David Lanpher, Professional Driver
I was traveling on US-60 North from Claypool, Arizona, after picking up my load on Friday. It’s a gorgeous road to travel and one I’d never taken before, but also curvy, 2-lane, and with no real shoulder. Also, pulling a 44,260-pound load.
I noticed my air leaking and a message that the brakes may be dragging. As I tried to find the best spot to pull over, I noticed the brakes getting hot. I parked as best as I could but was still very much on the road, so I got my safety triangles out right away. This was a very dangerous place for a service call – you might call it an “accident waiting to happen,” as we know people these days don’t slow down for anything. And, I had no cell or tablet service.
It wasn’t 15 minutes later that GOD put a young man with mechanic (and driving) experience in my path. He had taken a pilot escort truck to Phoenix and was on his way back to Preston, Idaho. He had broken his arm and was not back to driving a semi yet. He parked and asked me what the problem was and if there was anything he could do.
I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but never a mechanic. After assessing the situation, he asked if I had a couple of vice grips, which I did. The ironic part is that I had just bought the vice grips – a set of 4 – after experiencing a trailer flat in March.
Using those vice grips, this young man rerouted my airline so that I would have full air, and I was able to follow him to the I-40 ramp where he was continuing north. Mind you, he had another 12 hours of driving to get back to Preston, Idaho. He wouldn’t have had to stop or help.
This young man was my great Samaritan. If he hadn’t stopped, I would have had to wait for a service truck, and who knows how long that would have taken? (The nearest service was the T/A in Holbrook, Arizona where I had come from – 65 miles away). At that point, it would have been dark and even more dangerous for service, with a very high chance of our equipment or me getting hit.
That young man was a lifesaver for my anxiety and stress. I was able to get into the shop first thing the next morning and get everything repaired. I am thankful that God put him (and my newly purchased vice grips) in the right place at the right time to save a lot of grief. Thank you for your service, Wendell from Idaho!
