Couple Take In Delivery Driver After She Was Stranded In Texas Storm
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A couple took in a delivery driver almost a week after her car broke down outside their Texas home during the recent storm.
Chelsea Timmons became stranded after her car slid down the driveway of a customer's home in Austin, crashing into their flowerbed.
Homeowners Doug Condon and Nina Richardson came out to see if they could help get her Toyota Rav4 moving again, but when it wouldn't move, invited her in to wait for a repair truck.
However, it never came, and Chelsea ended up staying with the couple for five days.
Speaking to CNN, the 32-year-old said: "I'm just extremely fortunate that this is where my car crashed.
"It was in their flower bed. It wasn't in a ditch. It wasn't on the side of the road... I was stuck someplace safe and warm."
Recalling the incident that saw her break down, Chelsea explained: "I was going down very slowly, remembering to tap my brake.
"I tapped more aggressively and it just still kept sliding. My heart just dropped as I just slid right towards their house and I just closed my eyes and just prayed that I did not hit these people's home, that I did not damage my car.
"I just knew - definitely knew - if I hit their home, that was my tip."
After the couple came out, Chelsea said they didn't hesitate in inviting her into their home, despite the problems surrounding the pandemic and social distancing.
A few hours later, with the conditions getting worse, the repair company informed Chelsea that they wouldn't be able to make it out after all.
Nina said: "As soon as we found out that AAA couldn't come and the conditions were getting worse, it seemed silly to even imagine that she would go to a hotel.
"It didn't even occur to us."
And with Nina and Doug both having recently received their first Covid jabs, they invited Chelsea to stay with them until the repair company could make the visit.
Chelsea said: "That was definitely not how I expected my Valentine's Day to go.
"We had a great dinner and I sat, I was warm, I was fed and it was just amazing and I thought it was just going to be for one night, but here I am, day five."
Fortunately, the trio got on like a house on fire, with Chelsea even baking the couple a cake to show her appreciation for their kindness.
And eventually, the weather improved and Chelsea was able to get on her way.
Thanking Nina and Doug, she said: "They just opened their doors, opened their home and said, 'Come in and relax'."
Doug added: "We would hope that if our daughters were in a situation similar to Chelsea, that there would be someone that would treat them like we treated Chelsea.
"I don't think we ever thought twice about it."
