BY N.L. COUPLE’S HOSPITALITY

CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Joy Smith and her husband, Ted Pearson, borrowed a car to vacation in Newfoundland and Labrador.

It broke down near Stephenville, a couple of hours from the Nova Scotia ferry.

They ended up having it towed 45 minutes away to Corner Brook.

Already on a budget, the couple didn’t anticipate a $300 towing bill, let alone what the repairs might cost. They had planned to stay at bed-and-breakfasts, but instead had to book into a Corner Brook hotel. There, they realized Pearson had left some medication in the car.

To save a few bucks, Smith decided against calling a cab and walked to the garage.

During a break on a hilly climb, a woman who was out mowing her lawn saw Smith and thought she seemed distressed.

She asked if Smith was lost and gave directions.

A few minutes later, the woman pulled up next to Smith and offered a ride to the garage.

She waited to take her back to the hotel.

When Smith returned, the woman said she had just talked to her husband and offered Smith and Pearson a loan of a truck they weren’t using.

"I'm not really religious, but I can tell you I was crying and praying to God that day," said Smith. "Then, 20 minutes later, he sent us two angels. It was a miracle, really." It turned out the borrowed car had a transmission issue and it would take some time to fix it.

Smith and Pearson ended up using the borrowed truck — and salvaging their vacation — for more than a week. "This couple that don't even know us have been absolutely amazing and their kindness won't be forgotten," said Smith.

Smith and Pearson offered money as thanks for the unselfish gesture, but the woman — who did not want to be identified — refused.

Instead she asked they pay the good deed forward. Ironically, it’s something the couple had already done. A while before their vacation, Pearson explained, they had been on a rarely used road in the British Columbian high country when they came across some German tourists whose vehicle was hopelessly stuck.

They towed the stranded driver to safety.

"We always help people wherever we can and we'll definitely keep on doing that," he said.

Joy Smith and Ted Pearson of British Columbia were floored by the generosity of a Corner Brook couple who loaned them a truck for several days while their car was undergoing unexpected repairs. Gary Kean photo