Man Shovels Stranded Nurse Free During NY Snowstorm

A healthcare worker stuck in a snowstorm, desperate to reach her son, found help from an unexpected hero on a freezing Long Island highway.

William Kitchell, 39, was searching for food Sunday night when he spotted a car stalled at the intersection of Wantagh Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike in Massapequa. More than a foot of snow had already fallen, and the nurse from St. Joseph's Hospital couldn't get her front-wheel-drive car moving.

Without hesitation, Kitchell grabbed a shovel and got to work. He cleared snow from around her tires while she steered, preparing to move forward when the light changed.

The scene wasn't pretty. Other motorists swerved around the stopped car, honking their horns. One driver even rolled down their window to scream obscenities at the pair.

Kitchell kept shoveling. The nurse, visibly upset and worried about getting back to Franklin Square to see her son, kept her hands on the wheel.

Sunny's Take

Friend Leslie Bennett says Kitchell's kindness that snowy night was just who he is. "He's just a good guy that will help no matter what," Bennett explained. "This is who he is."

After the nurse finally made it home safely, a friend of hers tracked down Kitchell to thank him. She was in tears, Bennett said, overwhelmed by the simple act of one stranger helping another when it mattered most.

The snowstorm brought out the worst in some drivers that night, honking and shouting at a healthcare worker who'd just finished her shift. But it also revealed the best in people like Kitchell, who chose compassion over convenience when someone needed help.

Sometimes being a hero just means grabbing a shovel and showing up.