To the Editor:
I have a story of great kindness and generosity from a local business man that I had to share. My husband and I experienced a Christmas miracle with local business owner Al Birman (of Cloquet Ford Chrysler Center).
My husband is Canadian and we were making our annual drive from Canada to the Twin Cities early Christmas morning when, out of the blue, just as we rolled into the town of Cloquet, my husband’s car started to act up. Before we knew it, the car was barely moving, so we pulled onto a side street where the car just died. I began to panic, knowing that on Christmas morning there would be nothing open, let alone anyone around to help us or tow us. With temperatures hanging just above zero that morning, another fear crept into my mind, are we going to freeze?
It was then that my husband noticed there was a car running and there was someone in the parking lot of the Cloquet Ford Chrysler Center, which our car had conveniently died right in front of. “What luck!” we thought. But would this stranger be willing to help us?
Unbelievably, yes, and more than we ever imagined. Al Birman informed us that it was his dealership and he invited me inside to get warm while he towed my husband’s car. Al didn’t stop there; he invited us back to his home so we could warm up and work out the details of a car rental. His wife, Renee, welcomed us while their little son entertained us!
Al wanted us to get on the road as soon as possible so that we could spend Christmas morning with our family as planned so he tossed my husband the keys to his personal car, a brand new 2013 Ford Explorer and told us to “take it!” Al wouldn’t accept any payment for the loan and told us to take our time and get home to our family. Upon returning the vehicle, Al continued to decline any type of payment and even fixed my husband’s car free of charge!
My husband and I couldn’t believe that a stranger would go to such great lengths to help someone they didn’t even know, and on such a special morning. We are forever grateful to Al Birman and his family for saving us on Christmas morning!
Robyn Mosbeck, Minneapolis
Tags: letters to the editor, opinion
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