You may have heard about the horrific chain-reaction wrecks along Interstate 44 in Missouri caused by icy roads. The accidents killed at least two people, and part of the interstate was closed overnight until all the vehicles could be cleared
The Rocking Chair Restaurant along Route 66 in Conway, Missouri, served as a shelter to those travelers stranded by one of those accidents. KSPR-TV in Springfield, Missouri, had the story:
Key excerpt here:
“For the first hour I think people were still in shock. It took them a little while to calm down, you know, get their bearings. Then they started getting hungry. A lot of them was thirsty and cold. I couldn’t imagine going through something like they did. Pretty horrific,” said Beal.
Even a day later, Beal still has tears in her eyes.
“I guess I’ve never been that close to it, around a situation like that, that up close and personal with them and getting to talk to them and their reactions. Seeing them upset and cry, just all the emotions everybody had, it was rough. I think we kind of, we tried to kind of lighten up, get their spirits back up and think that everything was going to be okay. It turned out good,” she said.
To give you an idea how bad the accidents were, look at this drone video from the Conway Fire Department:
https://youtu.be/TN-lC0hHJqk
Back when Fran Houser owned the Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, I recall she put up a bunch of stranded travelers in her restaurant during a holiday snowstorm. All along Route 66, you’ll find stories about business owners helping people in need during dire times.
(Hat tip to Tonya Pike; screen-capture image of Conway Fire Department video of Interstate 44 accidents near Conway, Missouri)