Regina man pitches in to boost vehicles for free as cold snap continues
Over a freezing cold weekend, where temperatures plunged as low as – 36 C in Regina and felt even colder with the wind chill, Jay Dhillon spent hours outside, boosting people's vehicle batteries for free.
"I actually got stuck by myself two days ago and nobody was there to help me," he said Monday, as he helped a stranded passenger.
He eventually managed to get his car started, but the situation got him thinking about how other people were doing because of the long waits for tow trucks.
He posted on his local neighbourhood Facebook page that if anyone needed help to get their vehicles boosted, he would come to their rescue.
Since then, he said he has helped 24 people get their vehicles back on the road. That included boosting a battery for an elderly woman who invited him inside her house to warm up, which he said he appreciated.
"It is really, really good — people are treating me like I am their own family."
LISTEN | Jay Dhillon explains why he's boosting batteries for free:
As for what led him to spend hours outside when most people were hunkering down at home, Dhillon, who is Sikh, said that it is a teaching in his religion to help people.
"If you can help someone, if you're able to help someone, then help someone," said Dhillon. "That is what I am trying to do."
Dhillon said he is going to continue to keep offering boosts until the weather warms up.
Elias Delos Santos was one of the people who asked for Dhillon's help, after his vehicle was left outside for a month while he and his wife were on vacation.
"I am just so really, really thankful for someone to come help me try to start my wife's car," said Delos Santos.
Dhillon said the appreciation he is receiving from people has been amazing.
"You see different people, different smiles, different ways of saying thank you," said Dhillon, noting that people around the neighbourhood are noticing his work.
"When they saw my open hood and they saw the boosting cables, they were so happy, and then they wave and everything," he said.
"It's a really nice gesture from the people.… They appreciate someone is coming out in this weather and helping us out."
