A heart warming Christmas story

The log chair fashioned by a line crew from Michigan, following the devastating storm of December 18, 2023. (contributed photo)

by Carol Thibodeau
Submitted December 21, 2023

Carol Thibodeau related a story to The Town Line that is a great example of how people help people in times of hardship.

She writes:

We are on Rocky Road, in South China, where we have been stuck without power for four days now, and until yesterday, we were trapped here by a giant tree across our driveway.

Yesterday a crew showed up to cut up the tree. Yay! …they were a crew of three guys who had driven 23 hours straight from Michigan, to help CMP with the storm devastation. Despite only three hours of sleep, these guys were friendly and upbeat and went right to work and got that mammoth tree cleared.

My seven-year-old grandson, Reid, was there with me and we watched them clear the tree. Reid told me he wanted to make a chair out of one of the chunks of wood, for his mom and dad for Xmas. I mentioned this to one of the crew guys. While the other two were finishing up, he decided to make Reid that chair, and went to work with his chainsaw. While we watched, he made the best little chair, which will carry this story forever. Not to be outdone, his buddy had to carve us a message on a huge log. I’ll keep that log forever too!

Then these three heroes marched off to rescue the next people, munching on the peanut brittle I gave them and just as upbeat as ever.

I’ve been wondering if maybe that guy has a kid at home in Michigan, when he decided to make the chair for Reid. I don’t know, but I think Reid will always remember it.

Reid made a card…..and I’m going to make cushions for the chair – LOL, and he’s excited to give it to my daughter and her husband for Xmas.

We are still stuck without power and there is a leaning pole and downed lines still, at the top of our driveway, but this gave us such a Xmas boost, and warmed our hearts.