CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — The Cheektowaga Police Department asked for the public's assistance in identifying a local hero.
The man previously known as "Merry Christmas Jay" has now been identified. Jay Withey helped bring people into Pine Hill School and get them out of the blizzard. The police department wanted to thank Jay for his heroism.
The police department shared some security camera footage that shows Jay and also a note that he left apologizing for damage and using a snow blower to clear a path.
Jay said in his note: "Got stuck at 8 p.m. Friday and slept in my truck with two strangers just trying not to die. There were seven elderly people also stuck and out of fuel. I had to do it to save everyone and get them shelter and food and a bathroom."
2 On Your Side's sister station in New York City met with Withey on Thursday to discuss his heroic actions and why he left the note.
"The note, I just felt like it was something I had to be left," Withey said. "I was super upset that I had to break a window to get into the school. I wanted to apologize for breaking the window. Throughout the whole event, I ended up using the janitor's snowblower to pull out cars, and clear everyone's cars out, and move them all in one spot. That way, when the weather did clear, everyone was able to get to their vehicle and not worry about the cars being stuck."
He added on how he felt about saving 24 people: "Very humbled."
The Cheektowaga Police Department shared the photos above of the note and people who sheltered in the school.
Officers responded to the school when they could because an alarm was ringing. Officers originally thought the alarm was set off when the strong winds broke the window, until they found his note.
The freezer was still full of food, officers say people only ate what they needed to survive.
In addition to the 10 people, there were two dogs. They pulled a SmartBoard out to watch news updates, and they were sure to put it back and clean everything up when they left, according to a Facebook post by Cheektowaga Police.
Around 2 p.m., two hours after the Facebook post was made, people were already posting that they know who Jay is or they were one of the people he helped save.