David Jones wasn’t going to let anything stop him from walking his daughter down the aisle. Not even a hurricane. When 64-year-old Jones left his home in Boiling Springs, S.C., to make the two-hour drive to Johnson City, Tenn., for his daughter Elizabeth’s wedding, he was thrilled he would be there for her big day.

But what was supposed to be a routine drive quickly turned into a race against time after Hurricane Helene unleashed its wrath across the Southeast, leaving roads closed and bridges washed away. As traffic came to a halt on Interstate 26, Jones asked a nearby state trooper if there was an alternate route. “Nobody is getting to Johnson City,” the officer told him when he spotted him at 2am. But for Jones, that just wasn’t an option.

David Jones snapped a picture of his legs during his 27-mile trek to get to his daughter’s wedding. Photo courtesy of David Jones

“My daughter is getting married at 11 o’clock, and I’m going to be there to walk her down the aisle,” he told the officer. Determined, Jones parked his car, grabbed his essentials, and set off on foot with only his cellphone flashlight to guide him.

The journey ahead was scary, but Jones knew he could make it. “I’ve run marathons. I can do this,” he said he told himself, though the conditions were worse than he expected. “There were trees down everywhere, power lines in the road — it was just a mess.” At one point, Jones found himself knee-deep in mud, his legs nearly stuck as a backhoe cleared debris dangerously close to him. “There were some audible prayers at this point,” he said.

I just kept putting one foot in front of the other,” he said,. “It wasn’t a question of if, it was a question of when.”

Jones’s resolve didn’t go unnoticed. Along the way, a state trooper who had heard about his trek offered him a ride to a nearby town. Jones continued on foot, eventually picking up a reflective driveway marker to alert drivers to his presence. Then, a white pickup truck pulled over to offer him a lift — and as fate would have it, the driver was an old friend.

“I firmly believe that God or one of his angels woke Steve up and said, ‘David needs a ride the rest of the way,’” Jones said. After walking about 17 miles and hitching rides for the remaining 10, he finally arrived at his home in Johnson City around 7:30 a.m. — just in time to freshen up before the wedding.

David Jones hands his daughter, Elizabeth, a gift during her wedding. Photo courtesy of David Jones

Later that morning, Jones walked his daughter down the aisle, filled with relief and gratitude. During the reception, he shared his story, which until then, Elizabeth had not known. Then Jones gave Elizabeth and her husband Daniel with the driveway marker, symbolizing the protection it had given him.

I want this to be a remembrance for you to always be a protector of each other,” he said.

Elizabeth was moved by her father’s dedication but not surprised. “It was very on-brand for my dad. He would do whatever it takes, no matter what. I’m so grateful that he was delivered safely,” she said, adding, “I have a very special dad. That was love put into action.”

Sources: Washington Post | Today Show