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On Tuesday morning I received a call from a woman who wanted to speak with someone who wrote about local people. I took the phone call and listened to the wonderful story she shared and decided it was extra worthy of sharing with all of you this week, especially with the New Year ringing in.
Sara Hanson, her husband and their three boys, dressed in their Sunday best, were heading for church recently. It was a cold morning when they ran into some trouble on a back road highway.
The Hanson's vehicle had gone down an embankment. Everyone was shaken but unharmed. It seemed like a miracle, Sara shared.
Soon a snowplow came by and offered to call for some assistance. It was protocol though that the snowplow driver couldn't pull them out and couldn't give them a ride, so the Hansons did the only thing they could do, wait for more help to arrive.
Twenty cars drove by as the Hansons sat stranded. It was starting to get pretty cold, as they had been waiting 45 minutes by now.
Finally, a vehicle drove by and stopped. Sara and her husband hoisted their boys up the snowbank to see the kind person who had stopped to help them.
Emerging from the car was Rose Mohlmann, an 81-year-old woman who resided in Dodgeville. She helped the Hansons with their children and loaded everyone into her little warm car.
Rose had been travelling to her little country church that day when she spotted the car. Sara, who is originally from Chicago, felt very blessed that Rose had come along, even referring to her as "my Christmas Angel."
Rose drove the Hansons home and offered to drive Sara's husband to Dodgeville to see about the car that was towed. Sara tried to give Rose money for her trouble and gas. But Rose did not want a dime.
Sara's husband went to Jonesdale, where Rose is originally from, and spoke with her family. They wanted to know more about the woman who had saved the day.
Sara thought of all the people she had overlooked who might have needed a little help.
"If an 81-year-old woman can stop and help us, wow," she said. "I need to help more people!"
As we begin the New Year, maybe we can all relate to Sara's story and make a little New Years resolution to help more people too.
"I don't know how you repay someone for giving you warmth, safety and security, but we are going to try," Sara said.