Recently, we were driving west on Route 17 above Exit 113 when our rear right tire went flat. I looked for an 800 number for AAA, but could not find it, so I called 911. They referred me to the state police, who would help me get a tow truck.

At that very moment, a van pulled up behind me with lights flashing, and I assumed it was a state trooper. However, out stepped a young Orthodox man with sidelocks and a yarmulka who told me that he saw my lights flashing on the other side of the road, and he turned around to see if he could help. 

He said there was a big hole in my tire and he could plug it for me. I said that would be appreciated. After plugging it, he inflated the tire, but said that he thought it had been too damaged to hold the plug. So he said he would put my spare tire on for me.

He jacked up my car with his jack in two minutes, quickly took my tire off, pulled my spare from the trunk, and put it on in a matter of moments. He had all the equipment with the appropriate size lug wrench. 

He wished us well and said not to go over 55 mph on the donut. I offered him some money, but he refused and said, “Pay it forward.”

This young good Samaritan made our day and renewed our faith in the value of good deeds. It was a real mitzvah. 

Marvin Rappaport
Forestburgh, NY