When I got a flat tire on I-75 just south of Findlay today, I was ready to handle it. But it was 5:15 p.m., traffic was heavy, and semis were flying by, unable to move over. For safety, I called for lights to help keep cars away while I worked.
And guess who showed up? A woman trooper! They knew I was a woman with a flat tire, and they must have also known we were more than capable of taking this on.
Together, Trooper Teri Cavin and I pulled out the spare, loosened the lug nuts, jacked up the car, swapped the tires, tightened the bolts, and packed everything away. Start to finish, we did it in about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, my dad had heard about my flat. From Cridersville—45 minutes away—he jumped in the car and drove straight toward me. I told him not to worry, that I had it under control, that we’d be finished before he even arrived. But he came anyway. Because that’s what dads do.
What he forgot, though, is that the reason I could handle it was because of him. Every other time I had a flat, he’d been there—not just fixing it for me, but teaching me. He showed me how to loosen the lug nuts before jacking up the car. He reminded me where to place the jack safely. He taught me “righty tighty, lefty loosey.”
By the time I called to tell him I was already back on the road, he had just reached Findlay. I felt bad that he drove so far, but he just said he didn’t want me stranded. That’s when I reminded him: Dad, you’re the one who taught me how to do this. You raised me to be able to stand here today and change that tire. And I’m so thankful you did.
Before leaving, after a ton of thank-yous, I did what only a woman would do—I hugged Trooper Cavin ❤.
Credit: Sarah Shrader