Bryan Stephens of Lavon, right, responds to a crash in Sachse after a truck struck a light pole and came to rest on a median during icy conditions last week. Stephens assisted Sachse police officers and firefighters with clearing debris and removing the light pole from the roadway. Courtesy Bryan Stephens

Bitter cold, ice and a bit of snow paralyzed much of North Texas last week, but it stirred a Lavon resident into action.

With neighbors and essential workers in need of assistance, 39-year-old Bryan Stephens rallied a group of fellow Jeep owners to help those coping with the dangerous weather that battered the region.

“It became clear to me that folks needed help,” Stephens said. “So that motivated me to act.” Stephens put the word out via social media that his fellow Jeep club members were available to assist. The phone started ringing — and it didn’t stop for several days.

Over the course of the winter weather event, the Hwy78 Jeep Club responded to well over 100 calls for assistance, Stephens said. Requests ranged from helping stranded motorists and recovering vehicles to transporting essential workers — including doctors and nurses — to hospitals, fire stations and other critical facilities. Assistance was provided across a wide area, including Frisco, Dallas, Richardson, Rowlett and surrounding communities.

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