The Good Samaritan “Officer Alex Silvey”

Dates: March 1 & 2, 2023

Location: Loudon, TN

Love’s Fuel Center Interstate 75 North Exit: 72

Start Date & Time: 12pm on March 1, 2023

Ending Date & Time: 9:30a March 2, 2023

Submitted By: Rev. H. Wesley Brabson II

March 1, 2023 This is my Good Samaritan Story. First a little background about me. I live in Cleveland TN, I work as a City Planner for the City of Chattanooga, TN. On this day I got off from work early at 12:00pm to drive to Knoxville, TN. to celebrate my good friend receiving her last radiation treatment and to be with her as she rung the bell signaling the completion her treatments. I spent the rest of the day with her and her family, celebrating this great accomplishment.

I stayed at her house longer than I should because a terrible storm was predicted later on that night. I originally planned to be back home before the storm set in. (But you know what they say about best laid plans).

My friend ask me, why don’t you stay with your mother tonight because of the lateness of the hour and to the impending inclement weather. I thought about it, but I knew my mother was already in bed and I did not want to startle her at the late hour, besides I had to be at work at 7:00am in the morning. So we said our good byes and I started my journey homeward. I left her house around 11:15pm heading back home to Cleveland. (Normally the 90 mile trip takes me 1 hour and 15 minutes to drive home.)

I kind of thought about Noah and what he went through when it started raining. It was raining very hard along with the high winds and some thunder and lighting. I slowed way down to around 50 to 55 mph, because my visibility was awful in this driving rain storm. As I got close to the 17th street exit around downtown Knoxville, I was in the far right lane because the 18 wheelers where driving 65 to 75 mph and beyond. I have to admit I was a little nervous as I putted along. As I was driving through this part of town I hit a pothole so hard I just knew that it had just busted that tire but it didn’t, so I was thankful and keep on going. As I drove 50 to 55 mph I had a big truck stay right on my bumper for miles he refused to go around me as I was in the slow lane, not the passing lane. That made me just a little bit more nervous. (Now you must remember the rain is still coming down hard in sideway sheets.) That truck is still right behind me and now I’m feeling some vibrations from my rear right tire.

I am now real nervous because I need to pull over safely with this tailgating truck driver riding my bumper, but as always the Lord was with me. I pulled over safely and I was talking to my great friend, Jim Williamson, at the time of the flat tire. I got out of my truck and it seemed like it started raining even harder.

I have to thank God for wise council, because I was going to attempt to change that tire on the shoulder of interstate 75 north bound in those terrible conditions, just about 5 or 6 feet from those speeding 18 wheelers at 11:45pm, in a driving rain storm. My friend, Jim, advised me not to try to change the tire there, but rather drive very slow on the shoulder to the next exit and go to a gas station. There I could get under a canopy and change the tire in the dry. So I followed his wise instructions and drove very slow and got off on Exit 72 and rolled into the brand new Love’s Fueling Station in Loudon, Tn. It is now 12:00am and I must admit that I was feeling that this nightmares night would soon be over.

March 2, 2023 I got the jack and lug wrench out of the truck and put on my gloves, I was reminded that I still had my work clothes on. I’m wearing my nice Ralph Lauren button down Polo shirt and my light colored new khaki stretch slacks and my neutral colored timberland dock shoes. Needless to say I was not dressed for the occasion! (But a man’s got to do, what a man’s got to do.) So I get the tire tool out and stick it through a hole in the bumper to let the stare tire down. So as I turn the crank I didn’t feel the weight of the tire as it should have been lowering. So I had to bend down and look under the bed of the truck to see the spare tire and to my horror there was no spare tire to be found! I was dumbfounded, lost, confused, dazed, and shocked, all at the same time. (Now what?) It is now about 12:30am on March 2, I’m about 60 miles from home.

When I told Jim what I just experienced, he told me he would come to get me and drive to Cleveland. (By the way: my friend Jim lives in Knoxville, TN. for the record.) I was so thankful to God and my friend Jim, for my anticipated ride home. Jim started on his way and he said he would be there as soon as possible. I invited him to spend the night at my house and drive back in the morning. He informed me that he would have to drive back because he would have to drive his two children to school later in the morning.

About 20 minutes later, Jim calls me (I figured he was calling to give me a location update). I answered my phone with great anticipation, but he asked me a question first. The question was and I quote, “The tire that went flat on your vehicle, was it your right rear tire?” I told him reluctantly yes. He then asked me if I was in the far right lane on I-40 West bound close to the 17th street exit. Again I told him yes. He then informed me that he was now on the shoulder on I-40 west in this driving rain storm with a busted rear passenger’s side tire on his Mercedes. Jim had ran over the same pothole that busted my tire. I said to myself, (What was the chances that he would hit the same pothole that I hit.)

Now I know how Florida Evans, the TV mom from the hit 70’s show “Good Times,” felt when she got the phone call that informed her that her husband, James Evans, had been killed in a car accident in Mississippi. This happened just before the whole Evans family, including “JJ’, was about to move out of the projects in Chicago and move to a house in Mississippi. Florida was visibly upset when she shook her fist and yelled and I quote, “Darn! Darn! Darn!”

Jim told me that his tire was split on the side wall, I then checked my tire and it was also spilt on the side wall. Now Jim is on the side of the interstate trying to change his tire in this driving rain storm with 18 wheelers speeding bye him, as close as 5 feet away. He informed me that he would call me as soon as he got the tire changed. (The time was now 1:30 am.) I am now parked at the edge of the parking lot in this driving rain storm. Now I am worried about Jim trying to change his tire on the side of the interstate. I am now starting to nod off and on, for over an hour.

I get a phone call from Jim at 3:00am and he informed me he could not get his tire changed. Before I had time to start feeling helpless again, he told me he was going to call AAA Auto Club and have them come pick me and the truck up to tow me home to Cleveland. I thanked my good friend and God the Father for taking such good care of me. So I am waiting with great anticipation for my ride home, once again. In the meantime I call my bosses voicemail informing her that I won’t be in today.

I am now waiting for AAA to send a tow truck. It is now 4:00am no tow truck, I nodded back off, and it is now 5:00am still no tow truck. I nod off again it is now 6:00am, still no AAA tow truck. I’m now thinking about spending the night in my truck at the Love’s Fuel Center, in Loudon, Tn. I get a phone call from Jim checking to see if I was on the move home yet, I told him no, I’m still here, it is now 7:00am. My friend Jim was very upset that I have been there for 4 hours since he called AAA and ordered the tow truck. He called AAA again and they just put him off, they eventually they told him they will be there between now being 7:10am to 9:30am. I now have officially spent the night in my truck at the Love’s Fuel Center, in Loudon, Tn.

As I sit there contemplating what to do next, I thought about my good friend Rev. R.T. Smith who lives in Niota, Tn. I called and told him what was going on and he told me he was on his way. Loudon is about 25 miles from Niota. I’m feeling much better about the day, R.T. should be here in less than an hour.

As I waited on R.T. to arrive, a Loudon City, Police officer named Alex Silvey, drives up and ask me how long I have been there, I told him since 12:00am. Officer Silvey then ask me had anyone stopped and ask if they could help you? I informed him that no one has stopped to help me. He then processed to get out of his patrol truck and started to bend down and start changing my flat tire. I was shocked to see this police officer start to change my tire! (By the way: I am very capable on changing that tire myself, but he didn’t care about that, he just went work!)

Now I’m just standing there watching officer Silvey get that tire off. After he got the tire off he then proceeded to put my tire in the back of the patrol truck. I remembered that R.T. was on his way and he should be getting real close by now. So I called R.T. and told him that a Loudon Police officer has stopped and he is helping me, so he could turn around and head back home. (Later on that day R.T. told me he was just one exit away when he turned around.)

Officer Silvey, told me to get in and he was going to take me to a tire store that will give me a fair price for a new tire. I get into his patrol truck and he starts to drive me to the tire store. He told me that he was married with three young children and he was a Christian, he didn’t have to tell me that because, I already knew that. (You can judge to spirit by the spirit.) He also told me that his old pastor just retired and went back to help at his home church as an assistant pastor and his church is looking for a new pastor.

I told him that I worked at Norfolk Southern railroad for 20 years. He then informed me that he almost had a job with Norfolk Southern but it didn’t work out. I told him, he was lucky not to get that job. I picked out a new tire and paid for it and they got it ready in twenty minutes. The shop tech put the tire back in the truck and we were on our way back to the Love’s Fuel Center. When we got back, I figured Alex would take the tire out and be on his way. Then I could put the tire back on myself.

No that was not what he did, officer Silvey gets out of his patrol truck and starts to install that new tire back on my 1995 GMC Sonoma. He finished the job he started and ask me did I needed any more help, I told him no, and that I am ready to be on the road again. I ask him would he allow me to pray for him and he was pleased with my request. So I laid my hands on him and prayed his safety on the job, his family, and the City of Loudon’s Police Department.

The reason that I wanted to tell this story is because I am an African American Male that is 6’ 1” and I weigh 270lbs. Officer Silvey is a young Caucasian male; with the climate that is in the country today with all the terrible events that have been going on all over the country in the last few years, about policing.

I felt it was my Christian duty to tell this story of what this young police officer did for me in my hour of need. He is the quintessential of what most police cars in this country have on the side of their patrol vehicles and that statement is “Protect and Serve.”

I just want to thank Officer Alex Silvey, his Chief Samuel Harrison and the administration for the City of Loudon, Tn. for allowing their officers to truly “Protect and Serve.” Thank you again to Officer Alex Silvey, for truly being a Good Samaritan to me.

UPDATE from Rev. H. Wesley Brabson II

The Good Samaritan Day, April 10, 2023

We celebrated Loudon Police Officer Alex Silvey in Loudon, Tn. on this day. It was a wonderful celebration. With Police Chief Mike Brubaker, a long with Mayor Jeff Harris who read a proclamation from the City of Loudon. The Harwell Chapel Church Family where all in attendance.. Rev. Roxianne Sherles, represented Bishop Michael A. Frencher, Sr. of the Mid-West Episcopal District, Presiding Elder Richard M. Gadzekpo of the Chattanooga, District, and the Tennessee Annual Conference of the AME Zion Church World Wide., read a proclamation from Bishop Frencher. Officer Siley's wife, children, and the rest of his family where in attendance also. I would like to thank everyone that came out and participated in the celebration of this fine young officer.