Truck Driver Spots Breathless Woman on the Road, Then Rushes to Help — Story of the Day

A truck driver finds a breathless woman on his daily route and realizes he needs to act immediately to help her — he could never have expected how she rewarded him.

It was a dark night in Texas when Luke Armstrong drove into town. The sky was starless and there was no moon, which gave the highway a very menacing look. But Luke, a trucker, had been driving trucks for a living for several years and was unbothered.

He had a lot of things on his mind, and he was driving slowly, thinking of solutions to his problems. He had a sick daughter named Anne, and he was worried she would succumb to her illness before he could gather enough money to pay for the surgery she needed.

Luke had been all over town looking to raise the money required, but times were hard, and nobody he knew could simply lend him all he needed. His family was not very rich and his wife's family had distanced themselves from him as soon as she died.

"We never liked you for our daughter and now you've killed her, we hope you rot in hell," they told him after the burial ceremony.

Luke knew no help would come from them. Even the banks would not grant him a loan because he had no collateral to offer.

As his truck rumbled on, he noticed a flashy sports car parked by the side of the road. It looked like it had a busted tire, but Luke couldn't be too sure. He passed it without giving it a second thought and continued down the road.

Driving closer to home, his heart grew heavier, thinking of his daughter who was at the hospital surrounded by beeping machines that struggled to keep her alive as cancer ate away at her life force.

He was so lost in thought that he almost missed the prone figure of a human laying just by the side of the road. "What in God's name," he muttered as his truck rumbled to a stop beside the figure.

He took one look around to make sure it was safe to disembark from his truck and quickly moved to check if the person was alive. He noticed it was a lady as he picked up her hand to feel for a pulse.

It was there, but it was weak, and Luke immediately knew he had to get her help as soon as possible. He noticed her expensive outfit as he lifted her.

"Perhaps she owns the fancy car I saw a few minutes back," Luke said to himself as he moved her to his truck and turned on the heater.

He noticed that she seemed to be having trouble breathing, so he called 911 and reported his exact location as well as the predicament he found the woman in.

"Hold on for a few, sir, an ambulance is on its way," the dispatcher said.

While he waited, Luke rummaged through the purse she had been holding. It contained some documents and a passport which he spent a whole minute staring at.

The trucker could not shake the feeling that the woman looked familiar. He had still been staring trying to figure it out when she stirred and opened her eyes.

"Where am I?" she asked. "Who are you?"

"Ma'am I need you to calm down, I found you passed out on the highway so I decided to help. An ambulance is on its way here as we speak."

"Oh, I remember now," she said. "My car ran out of fuel and I thought I'd walk a bit while waiting to hitch a ride into town but I started feeling dizzy which was why I passed out."

"Dizzy?" Luke asked.

"Oh yes, I have low blood sugar and I often get dizzy," she answered.

Luke, remembering he had not introduced himself, then said, "oh, my name is Luke Armstrong and it is nice to make your acquaintance."

"I'm Heather Stone and I'm very grateful you stopped to help," the woman replied.

The ambulance came then, and the woman was carried away while Luke followed behind. Soon the roads split, and he could no longer see the ambulance. That night, he returned home tired and promised himself to check on his daughter first thing the following morning.

After checking in on her the next day, Luke decided to see how the woman he rescued was faring. He had been told she was getting treated in the same hospital.

When he located her ward, he found the woman reading a Forbes magazine and sipping coffee. Even in hospital garb, she seemed to exude class, and right then and there, he decided she was probably a rich heiress or the likes.

He also knew he had seen her somewhere before but could not place her face. They had a lengthy conversation that day and got to know each other better.

Luke told her about his late wife and sick daughter, and she told him about how she had left her home on a long drive after she found out her husband was cheating on her.

They both lamented their lives and were able to bond over news of their travails. After Luke left for work, Heather called a nurse to ask some questions.

"Can you tell me about that man's sick child?" she asked.

"Mr. Armstrong? His daughter has a rare cancer. She requires an 11-hour long surgery to remove her tumor. She's been here for over a month now but he has not been able to gather enough money to pay for the operation."

"Thank you, ma'am," Heather said. "That will be all."

A week passed with Luke trying his best to work something out for his child. He had taken on a side job in hopes that things would pan out, but he knew it would be several months before his savings could cover the surgery.

He was in the middle of applying for his second side gig when he received a call from an unknown number. It was the head physician of a very expensive hospital, and he had great news.

"I'm calling to arrange a suitable date for your daughter's surgery. Someone has generously offered to pay for its cost," the man said.

Luke could not believe his ears. Who would be kind enough to pay for the surgery?

"Hello, Mr. Armstrong, are you there?"

"Of course," Luke answered. "I would like her to have the surgery as soon as possible. But may I ask who the benefactor is?"

"The person asked that it remain anonymous. Would tomorrow be ok?"

"Tomorrow will be great," Luke replied.

Luke's daughter went under the knife the next day, and the surgery was successful. The proud father was very happy but also very confused because he did not know who to thank.

He asked his friends and relatives if they had donated the money, but no one owned up to it. When he went to pick up his daughter for her journey home, he caught sight of a beautiful woman smiling happily at him, and he did a double-take.

It was Heather, the woman he rescued on the highway. He approached her for a chat, suspecting she had something to do with his great fortune.

"Is it wrong for me to assume you did this?" he asked her with a smile.

"Don't mention it, Luke. Just think of it as thanks for doing the right thing that night on the highway," she said. "Is your daughter going to be okay?"

"Yes, she is. I am very grateful for your help and I will never forget this kindness," he told her before they eventually parted ways.

As he drove towards home, Luke caught sight of an ad on a billboard, and it had Heather's picture. That was when it dawned on him why he felt he knew her. The woman was a famous entrepreneur who owned a large firm.

"It's a small world after all," he murmured as he continued driving.

What did we learn from this story?

• One good turn deserves another. Luke was pressed for money when he found Heather on the road, but it did not even occur to him to rob her. Instead, he helped her by calling for help. He asked for nothing in return, but she felt he deserved something, and what better gift than taking care of his most pressing problem.
• Never give up. Luke knew it would be close to impossible to get the money he needed to treat his daughter, but he did not let that thought stop him from trying everything within his power to solve the problem. He was not overwhelmed, and his perseverance eventually led him to a situation that united him with a good samaritan who helped him.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who was terrified seeing a little girl in pajamas crying in the middle of the road at night.

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