A Feel Good Friday surprise for a man who helped a stranger fix a garage door following an accident

EastIdahoNews.com is partnering with Ashley and Ashley Outlet of Idaho Falls to honor people in our community for Feel Good Friday. Every week, we surprise someone deserving of special recognition.

We received an email recently about a man who helped a family with their garage door following an accident. Here’s what the message said:

We had a “little accident” (as my wife put in on the phone to me) where a teenage driver came into the drive way a little too far and when instructed to push the brake, accidentally pushed the gas and drove half-way into the garage – straight through the door – and pinning it against the door frame.

The bottom section was pinned under the front bumper and the other three sections were on the hood and windshield. There was no way to use the door.

A few days later, after the tow truck got the van unpinned and towed to the body shop, we opened the new garage door I had purchased and started to put the new panels on the track. As we were working on getting the new panels on, a white truck stopped short of the corner and next to our driveway for a minute or two. A man got out of the truck and asked about what we were doing and if I had done this before.

I mentioned I has replaced panels before but I was not wanting to do the torsion bar (the tension rod and springs that helps move the door) since it can be dangerous. I told him I was probably going to pay $120 for a service call to a garage door company to do that part. He told me if I called him Sunday or Monday, he would come over and it for me. I offered to pay him but he told me it would be quick because he has been doing this for almost 25 years as a side job.

Monday afternoon I gave Dee a call and he came over after work. Within 20 minutes, he had the bar tensioned correctly with the door balanced and made a few other adjustments and was on his way. He would not take any form of payment and was just happy to help. Dee was a tender mercy to my family in his desire to help out a stranger he just happened to drive by. Next time I need garage door help, Dee will be my first and only call and he won’t be able to leave until he is paid.

We found out Dee works for the city of Idaho Falls Streets Department and decided to surprise him for Feel Good Friday. Check out the video in the player above.