Good Deed: Unknown gentleman directs traffic around stalled car and keeps family safe

Good Deed graphic
Good Deed graphic

On the evening of Feb. 26, I was driving up Lookout Mountain to take my mother home. My 2-year-old granddaughter was also along for the ride. Halfway up Ochs Highway, in the middle of a blind curve, at rush hour, my car simply died. Smoke poured out from under the hood, and we were completely stranded. There was a long line of cars stuck behind us with no clear field of vision to go around because it was impossible to see what traffic might be coming around the curve. Not only a maddening situation but a dangerous one as well.

All of a sudden, a gentleman pulled around my car, backed down the road and parked in front of us. He calmly got out, stationed himself at the apex of the blind curve and proceeded to direct traffic safely both up and down the mountain around my stalled car. He kept this up for about 15 minutes until two CPD officers arrived to offer traffic control and motorist assistance.

I was overcome by his kindness and immediate action. He gave me a hug, said that it was nothing and he was happy to help.

Sir, you are proof to me that there is great goodness in this world and that chivalry is not dead. Given the darkening hour, the amount of traffic present and the precarious position that my car occupied in that curve, you kept me and my family safe in a potentially tragic situation. I salute you and am grateful beyond words.

Caroline Chipley Johnson

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Help us celebrate the kindness of others by letting us know about gestures of goodwill you have witnessed or experienced.

Send letters to Good Deed, c/o Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401. Email to gooddeed@timesfreepress.com or fax to 423-668-5058.

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