Bryan Stephens of Lavon, right, responds to a crash in Sachse after a truck struck a light pole and came to rest on a median during icy conditions last week. Stephens assisted Sachse police officers and firefighters with clearing debris and removing the light pole from the roadway. Courtesy Bryan Stephens<\/p>\n
Bitter cold, ice and a bit of snow paralyzed much of North Texas last week, but it stirred a Lavon resident into action.<\/p>\n
With neighbors and essential workers in need of assistance, 39-year-old Bryan Stephens rallied a group of fellow Jeep owners to help those coping with the dangerous weather that battered the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt became clear to me that folks needed help,\u201d Stephens said. \u201cSo that motivated me to act.\u201d Stephens put the word out via social media that his fellow Jeep club members were available to assist. The phone started ringing \u2014 and it didn\u2019t stop for several days.<\/p>\n
Over the course of the winter weather event, the Hwy78 Jeep Club responded to well over 100 calls for assistance, Stephens said. Requests ranged from helping stranded motorists and recovering vehicles to transporting essential workers \u2014 including doctors and nurses \u2014 to hospitals, fire stations and other critical facilities. Assistance was provided across a wide area, including Frisco, Dallas, Richardson, Rowlett and surrounding communities.<\/p>\n