Chick-fil-A Sent a Boat to Rescue a Couple Stranded by Harvey Flooding

Courtesy Chick-fil-A
Courtesy Chick-fil-A

Confronted with flood waters lapping up onto the doorstep of their North Houston home, J.C. and Karen Spencer were just one of the many families affected by the catastrophic deluge of Hurricane Harvey. Left without a lifeboat, the couple faced a certain dilemma, when J.C. saw a potential solution at their local Chick-fil-A. 

"We had to get out of there so I called Chick-fil-A, now that sounds kind of funny," J.C. Spencer told Good Morning America on Wednesday. As regulars at the restaurant, the Spencers knew that one of the store managers owned a boat, so naturally they inquired. "I ordered two grilled chicken burritos with extra egg and a boat. And can you believe that one of the managers of Chick-fil-A, she sent her husband to pick us up and we are so grateful," he said. 

But in an even better twist, a rescuer on a jet ski found the Spencers first, and whisked them to safety before the Chick-fil-A manager's boat arrived. This was quite a fortuitous event, because the boat sent from Chick-fil-A was a little too small to carry all of the Spencer's belongings, according to ABC

Here's J.C. recounting the experience on GMA: 

While the storm battered Texas, causing an unprecedented amount of damage, luck smiled down on the Spencers. Cindy Smith, an employee at the restaurant who originally summoned the boat, told the company's official blog: "I know people would do it for us. It’s the right thing to do. This disaster shows that people do care about each other.”

J.C. initially forgot his wallet and wedding ring while boarding the jet ski, but he was able to retrieve both after going back to the house on Tuesday. "Karen jumped on the back of a Jet Ski and I jumped on the back of another one and they evacuated us to higher ground," he told ABC. 

Even in the face of catastrophe, the Spencers were able to hold on to what they had with the help of their favorite restaurant. It's really a heartwarming story. 

[ABC via Grub Street]

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Sam Blum is a News Staff Writer for Thrillist. He's also a martial arts and music nerd who appreciates a fine sandwich and cute dogs. Find his clips in The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The A.V. Club and Esquire. He's on Twitter @Blumnessmonster