Illinois family travels 12 hours to donate water to East Texas residents after snow storm

(KETK)- After a historic snow storm, many people helped the city of Kilgore, including those who live in other parts of the country.

A family traveled 12 hours from Macomb, Illinois and donated 150 cases of water to Kilgore, according to the Kilgore Police Department.

Samuel Wheeler and his sister Rachel Wheeler wanted to support small towns in Texas, so they drove to different cities including Kilgore, Dallas and Fort Worth.

Sonya Wheeler, Samuel’s cousin, lives in Kilgore, and she told him about the water conditions after the severe winter weather.

“(She said) ‘our water pipes burst, and we have no water. The stores can’t get water because of the frozen roads’, so I got on the phone with my boss,” said Samuel.

He previously worked with R&J Distribution, and he asked them if he could purchase water. The company told him they would not charge him for the water if he could find a way to transport it to Texas.

Samuel asked the community to help him get a larger vehicle to carry the water, and he received many donations, which he used to rent a U-Haul.

Samuel and his sister loved the hospitality in Kilgore, and they said they look forward to going back.

Additionally, the water that the siblings brought was handed out by local officers to the elderly and others who were stuck at home.