Every day I travel from the North Hills into Lawrenceville to care for my 91-year-old father.

On Feb. 16, after a snowstorm left the city streets almost impossible to travel, and especially hard for finding a spot to park, I was able to find a space that was not claimed by a Pittsburgh Chair.

However, I had misjudged my turn and became hung up on hard-packed snow and ice, unable to go forward or backward. This required me to shovel my wheels out so I could move my car, which was blocking the street.

This was hard work, and as I was no longer 30, this seemed almost impossible until my prayers were answered by an angel in disguise -- a gentleman driving a company truck with a snow plow. This man called his company to let them know he was helping a lady in trouble.

He not only shoveled me out to move back out, but plowed me an area so that I could park. I wanted to pay him for his help but he refused, wishing me a safe and good day.

CATHERINE BROWN

Glenshaw

Mounds of snow hampered me from getting to my bus stop, which was actually right outside my door. One day I decided to try to get to my senior center on the South Side, and as I plowed through the so-called walk made for me by my neighbor, I saw the bus.

The driver, a sweet, helpful woman, waited for me, but I couldn't get through, and almost in tears, decided to turn back. Lo and behold, a gorgeous young man, who had helped me before, came bounding out of the bus and held out his hand to me, seeing me onto the bus safely.

The bus driver actually told me to go into the house the next time, watch out my window, and she would honk for me. And one day there she was, honking as I watched from the safety and warmth of my bedroom.

BETTY YEAGER

Carrick

On Feb. 15, I was driving down Shady Avenue in Squirrel Hill past the Children's Institute when all of a sudden my car went out of control. I didn't want to hit the car in front of me, so I ran the car into a deep, icy snow drift. I couldn't back the car out of the snow drift.

After what seemed like only a few seconds, a gentleman came to my car and wanted to know if I had called the institute for assistance. I told him that I hadn't called, but I was sure a fellow I saw talking on a cell phone across the street noticed my predicament and made the call.

The gentleman that came from the institute could not get my car out by himself, but in seconds there were about five other men who came to help shovel the snow from under my car and push it back onto the street. It wasn't an easy job because the snow was very icy.

I want to thank each of these fine gentlemen for taking the time from their busy day to help me in what seemed like a hopeless situation.

GERRY VOTILLA

West Mifflin

My wife and I just got a new puppy who is 5 months old and pretty darn sneaky.

One day I left Katie in our "fenced-in" back yard to let her run around and get some exercise. I would go out and check on her periodically, but when I went out for about the sixth time, meaning to bring her in, she was gone. Something must have attracted her attention, and she managed to squeeze herself under a space in the fence.

Since there was no sign of her, I started to panic, yelling out her name and running around like an idiot. I was preparing to go out in my vehicle to scour the neighborhood when the phone rang.

A lady asked if I owned a little pup, and I said, "Oh my God, yes!" Katie had run across the busy street (bad dog!) and was playing with some children when this wonderful lady drove by and realized that a strange dog had just come up and was jumping around with these kids.

The woman stopped, somehow coaxed Katie into her van, called Allegheny County with Katie's registration number, and they gave her our phone number. She then insisted on delivering Katie to our house and wouldn't accept any reward.

DAVE TASCHNER

Bridgeville

First Published: March 4, 2010, 10:00 a.m.