A simple roadside rescue turned into a remarkable friendship and a beautiful Kiddush Hashem, as Rabbi Avi Sharfman of Baltimore and AAA technician Jerome Belton found an unexpected connection on a snowy day in Maryland.

In January, Rabbi Sharfman, a chaplain for LifeBridge Health, was on his way to provide spiritual care for a dying man in hospice when his car got stuck in a snowbank. He called AAA, which dispatched Jerome Belton, a tow truck driver with a warm smile and a helping hand.

“Jerome gets out of the truck and, with his big smile, says, ‘I’ve got you,’” Sharfman told WBAL.

Belton immediately sprang into action, working quickly to free the rabbi’s car.

“It was like I had wings on my back,” Belton said.

Sharfman made it to the family just in time to offer comfort in their final moments with their loved one. Deeply moved by Belton’s kindness, he later wrote a letter to AAA commending him. But their connection didn’t end there.

Since that day, the two men—who once were strangers—have had many deep conversations, sharing their experiences and struggles.

“We’re more than friends. We’re brothers,” Sharfman said.

For Belton, the encounter was more than just a job. “It was just a connection of two lights. When you bring them together, it just gets brighter,” he says.

This story is a true Kiddush Hashem, a testament to how small acts of kindness can illuminate the world. It shows that compassion, respect, and humanity transcend all differences, and that even in challenging moments, Hashem orchestrates opportunities for connection with others – including those that don’t look like us or have the same lives as us.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)