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A loyal father put his life on the road to verify he did not miss one of the essential moments in his daughter’s life: strolling her down the aisle on her marriage ceremony day.
David Jones was solely anticipating to make a two-hour drive from South Carolina to Johnson Metropolis, Tennessee, over the weekend to be at daughter Elizabeth Jones’ marriage ceremony, however he was detoured as a result of excessive flooding from Hurricane Helene.
Jones advised Fox Information Digital he was diverted a number of instances whereas touring on Interstate 26 when he lastly crossed the state line into Tennessee round 2 a.m.
“Properly, about seven hours into the journey, I used to be lastly in Tennessee, and I acquired to exit 43 on Interstate 26 and the Temple Hill Highway exit. I’ll all the time bear in mind this exit,” Jones recalled.
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David Jones was capable of stroll his daughter down the aisle and attend her marriage ceremony after strolling almost 30 miles by way of flood particles to get to her. (Elizabeth Marquez)
Jones stated visitors was at a standstill, and the ramp was lined with vehicles and vehicles and a bunch of Tennessee state troopers had been lining the roadway.
Jones stated he acquired out of his automotive to talk with the troopers and discover out if there was an alternate path to get to Johnson Metropolis.
To his dismay, the officer advised him that it was the top of the highway and that the roads had been all washed out and impassable.
“He stated all three bridges had been fully worn out and that no automobile might get by way of. He stated, ‘You’re going to have to return to your automotive and spend the night time right here.’ And I stated, ‘Properly, what in regards to the again roads?’ They usually stated, ‘Sir, these are washed out, too. I imply, it is nonetheless early. We do not have all the small print, however we’re not letting anyone out on any roads.’ And I stated, ‘OK, cannot do it by automotive, can I do it by foot?” Jones stated.
Jones stated at that time the officer, who Jones referred to as skilled and praised all of the officers for placing their lives on the road and for working 24-hour shifts and past to assist save lives, stated he couldn’t let him by way of.
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“‘You need to perceive. My daughter’s getting married at 11 this morning, and I’m going to be there to stroll her down the aisle,'” Jones stated.
Jones, who has run marathons, estimated it was lower than 30 miles away, so he grabbed his backpack and determined to stroll, with solely his cellphone gentle to information him by way of the darkness and piles of particles.
His two-hour commute to Tennessee became a seven-hour drive by automotive and almost 5 and a half hours by foot.
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David Jones prepares for the first-look together with his daughter, Elizabeth, on her marriage ceremony day after he traveled 30 miles by foot to make it to the ceremony on time. (Ava Jones)
“I simply headed on down the highway and encountered numerous mud, numerous particles, large particles, fields, devastation. That’s past my capacity to even describe. And it was simply completely horrible. And I really feel so sorry for the those that reside in that space and what they’re having to try to rebuild. It will be years earlier than they’ll get the whole lot again collectively,” Jones stated.
“So, there have been numerous trials and tribulations alongside the way in which, however I simply had that mantra at the back of my thoughts that’s ‘My daughter’s getting married at 11, and I’ll be there to stroll her down the aisle,” Jones stated.
To create extra security and visibility, he grabbed a reflector pole that was mendacity on the facet of the highway so any vehicles driving by might see him.
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After strolling almost 30 miles by way of flood particles attributable to Hurricane Helene, David Jones made it to his daughter’s marriage ceremony on time. (Ava Jones)
So as to add one other twist to the journey, a motorist, who Jones stated he knew from a earlier job, noticed him strolling alongside the roadway and drove him the final eight miles to his vacation spot.
“There was numerous God on this story, much more than I might most likely even describe,” Jones stated when his outdated buddy picked him up. “However one of many issues he stated was, he was up early that morning. He could not sleep. He did not know why. So, he acquired up, and he came to visit right here to verify on this one home to see if the facility was again on. And so I do know what it was that woke him up and stored him up. … That was the great Lord watching out for me, ensuring I acquired to the church on time,” Jones stated.
Jones added that though the entire church was with out energy, they had been capable of gentle sufficient candles to light up the church; and regardless of the climate, all of the visitors who had been planning to come back to the marriage had been capable of attend.
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David Jones walked almost 30 miles in flood particles to make it to his daughter’s marriage ceremony day. (Ava Jones)
David’s daughter and bride-to-be had no thought when her father confirmed up and the whole lot he went by way of to verify he was there on her marriage ceremony day till his speech through the reception.
“I introduced the reflector. And I introduced it to them and I requested them for it to be a remembrance, to all the time be the safety for one another, particularly of their darkest hours. That is when you are going to want it essentially the most, prefer it did for me, and to proceed to be a superb reflection of God. So, it type of got here full circle at that time,” Jones stated when he shared what occurred together with his daughter and the marriage visitors.
Elizabeth Jones, now Marquez, was on her option to her honeymoon and unable to go on digicam to speak, however she stated God was watching over her father and gushed about his bravery and power to get to her marriage ceremony.
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“It was mind-blowing, my thoughts could not actually grasp what he was saying, and the way might this even be truly doable and true?” Marquez advised Fox Information Digital in a telephone name. “Because it was sinking in, I used to be overwhelmed with gratitude that he was secure due to what a dangerous journey he had taken. … I used to be simply overwhelmed by the love that he confirmed by making this journey, making this effort to be at our marriage ceremony.”
Elizabeth’s sister, Ava Jones, echoed her sister’s emotions about their father’s resilience.
“Once I say I’ve one of the best dad on the planet, I really imply it. “Immensely” doesn’t even start to explain how proud I’m to name him my dad. I’m so extremely proud to be his daughter and know that his love and willpower runs by way of my veins. I really like you,” Ava Jones wrote in a publish on Fb.
“We have all been crying for days about this. The kind of love each woman needs and deserves from their father. An unimaginable show of affection, willpower, and God’s will,” Ava Jones advised Fox Information Digital about her father’s battle to get to her sister’s marriage ceremony.
Dad treks miles by way of Hurricane Helene aftermath for daughter’s marriage ceremony
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