Natchitoches deputies aid 2 Hurricane Ida evacuees who had tire blowout on I-49 on their way home to New Iberia

NEAR DERRY, La. (KSLA) — Paper towels and gratitude capped two Hurricane Ida evacuees’ encounter with two Natchitoches Parish sheriff’s deputies.

It happened about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31 on Interstate 49 near the Natchitoches Parish village of Derry, the Sheriff’s Office reports.

The two women left New Iberia over the weekend to seek refuge in a Shreveport hotel. They eventually found shelter at a hotel in Arkansas.

Then they had a tire blowout while trying to return home Wednesday.

The deputies stopped to help them change the tire. And while doing so, they discovered the spare was very low on air and used a portable air compressor to reinflate it, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

“One of the ladies responded what a day this has been, handed the deputies paper towels to wipe the sweat from their faces and gratefully thanked them for stopping to help,” says a Facebook post by the Sheriff’s Office.

The two women then were back on the interstate for the remaining 143 miles of their journey to New Iberia.

“We were glad to help and hope they make it home safely.”