Duane Murphy and his family sat in their broken-down car on the side of Old Keene Mill Road one cold winter night. The car service they called was nowhere in sight, but someone else was.
Rockie Springer drove by and saw the reflection of the people inside the car as he passed. He made a U-turn and scoped things out again, before making another U-turn and pulling up behind Murphy’s car.
The Murphy’s, who live in Burke, had run out of gas. It just so happened that Springer, who lived in Springfield at the time, had five gallons of gas in the car with him for circumstances exactly like this one.
"I told [Duane] I had gas; he was just tickled to death," said Springer, who now lives in LaPlata, Md., just south of Waldorf.
Murphy said he didn’t want to head off and leave his family, so they were just waiting it out inside the car until AAA arrived. It had been close to two hours since they made the call, so Springer’s help meant a lot. Murphy tried to pay him for the gas, but Springer would not accept.
"He’s just a helper," said Murphy. "He’ll offer you any type of help he can offer you. You have to be careful not to ask too much of him, cause he’ll just keep giving."
IT HAS BEEN a few years since that night on Old Keene Mill Road, but Murphy is hoping he can return the favor. In July, Springer, a mechanic, was working on a Greyhound bus outside of his shop. His 16-year-old son, Rick, was inside when he heard a loud bang. Rick and his cousin, who was inside the shop with him, knew what they heard.
"We immediately ran outside and saw him there, under the bus," said Rick Springer. "I just grabbed the jack and just started jacking. As it started to go up, he started wheezing faster and faster … I let go of the jack and pulled him out."
Rockie Springer, a hard-working man who has struggled to make ends meet throughout the years, did not have health insurance. He kept insisting he was OK, but neighboring business owners and Rick knew he wasn’t. They called for help, and Rockie Springer was airlifted to a Prince George’s County shock trauma facility.
"All of the doctors said I should have been dead," Rockie Springer said. He knew he was dead when that bus fell on top of him. He credits his sons for saving his life.
"My son refused to give up; he just did what he had to do," Rockie Springer said. "I don’t know he did it, but he did it."
ROCKIE SPRINGER suffered severe injuries, including fractured vertebrae, a broken collarbone, broken ribs and a punctured lung. The injuries that have followed sting the most, however.
With thousands of dollars in medical bills looming over them, the Springers have lost their breadwinner.
"My immediate concern, after my husband’s health, was how are we going to pay for things," said Katie Springer, Rockie’s wife and Rick’s stepmother.
Katie Springer has a rare muscular condition that has prevented her from working since 2004. She’s been waiting three years for her Social Security to kick in, but so far there is nothing.
She went to social services for help after a hospital social worker told them it would be the likeliest organization to offer support. The Springers are disgusted with the treatment they have received, said Rockie Springer.
"They refused to even give us food stamps," he said.
With nobody around to help, Rockie Springer’s old friend whose gas tank he once filled responded. Murphy and Rockie Springer remained in touch throughout the years. Murphy would often have Rockie Springer work on his diesel truck — Rockie Springer’s specialty, or he would call or e-mail him for advice.
"He never accepts money for such advice," said Murphy. "Perhaps he needs to start an e-mail consulting business now."
When Murphy found out that the man who once rescued him from the side of the road was now in need of rescuing too, he did not hesitate. Murphy called his church and asked if there was anything they could do. The church directed him toward the Springers’ local church in Maryland, White Plains Baptist Church, which ended up providing a lot of support. The church set up a fund for the family, which ended up paying their bills through the month of August.
"If it wasn’t for Duane, [our landlords] probably would be processing eviction notices and we wouldn’t have any food," Rockie Springer said.
The Springers are not over all of the hurdles yet, though. Rent is due again, and so are their electric, phone and water bills. The shop where Rockie Springer works on diesel trucks is sitting closed. Luckily, his friends and neighbors have talked to the landlord there and Rockie Springer’s equipment has not been moved.
"I worry about my tools and equipment," he said. "It’s taken me 30 years to acquire; it’s how I make my living."
Rockie Springer also has five prescriptions for his injuries and pain, but he’s only been able to fill one of them, because the medicine is so expensive.
It is a hard truth to face, especially for a man who says he likes to work for his living. He does not like handouts and has always remained a dedicated worker so he could provide for and set good examples for his son.
"I can’t just tell him what to do, I’ve got to show him what to do," Rockie Springer said.
Rockie Springer has been through hard times before. He became disabled in 1990 after a back injury. Several surgeries and years later, he could walk again. When he could, he decided to start his own business rather than receive help from the government. The business is not the most lucrative, but it’s paid the bills for several years.
"It’s been a daily struggle," he said. "I don’t want to be a burden on society. I like earning a living, I like taking care of my family."
Murphy emptied out his freezer last week and drove all of the food over to the Springers’ home. The church has helped them stock up as well, with some frozen and non-perishable items. Rockie Springer is waiting for the moment when he feels physically capable enough to get back to his shop and start working again. In the mean time, he is thankful for that man who ran out of gas that winter night.
"Duane absolutely moved mountains," said Rockie Springer.