“I Don’t Know How Long I would have been Out There if He Didn’t Stop to Help Me. I could have been Stuck There All Night”

On 6 August 2012, Pennie Clark of Rotorua, New Zealand, was driving back along State Highway 5 from a trip to Auckland when she had car trouble. She said, “There was nothing on the accelerator. I noticed a little gravel driveway and pulled in. I turned the car off and tried to turn it back on but got nothing. It wouldn’t move. Then it just started bucketing down.” The area was bad for cellphone reception, and she was unsure what to do. She said, “I sat there for some time and cars were just whizzing past me. I decided to get out of the car with my umbrella and shortly after this young guy pulled up and asked me what was wrong.” The young man asked who he should call to get her help, and he promised to call as quickly as he could get cellphone reception. About 30 minutes later, a tow truck arrived. This was the second time recently that her car had to be towed. Ms. Clark said, “The car was brand-new. My husband died about 10 weeks ago and this was supposed to be something which would last and it just keeps breaking down. To be honest I get a bit nervous on my own now.” She said that the young man was like a hero: “He was such a lovely young guy. I don’t know how long I would have been out there if he didn’t stop to help me. I could have been stuck there all night. I feel awful that I can’t remember his name, but I am so grateful for his help.”