NEENAH - A lieutenant from the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office is one of many who is thankful for the helping hand of a citizen after a massive pileup on Interstate 41 in Neenah last month.

Lt. Lori Seiler, one of the first deputies to arrive at the crash scene, parked her vehicle behind the already backed up line of southbound vehicles, got out and ran into the scene to help. However, in the process, she forgot to grab her gloves.

This is where a bystander helped out.

Seiler said a man at the scene noticed she didn't have gloves on and quickly handed her his. The gloves, of course, came in handy for Seiler as she went vehicle to vehicle, helping people in need in the wind and cold.

But the helpful hand of those nearby didn't stop there. The sheriff's office also shared an image of a blanket that a Facebook follower had messaged them, in hopes of finding an owner. The Facebook follower said her friend's daughter was injured in the crash and doesn't remember much, but was brought to the hospital wrapped in the blanket.

The sheriff's department shared pictures of both the gloves and the blanket on Facebook March 1, but no one has claimed them yet. 

"It just goes to show that, when an event like this does happen, the community really does come together," Seiler said. "There are so many people we want to acknowledge, and I'm sure there are other people out there that helped out without our knowing."

Seiler said she hadn't talked with her patrol captain yet, but believed the blanket and gloves would remain with the sheriff's office for the time being. 

"I don't know what kind of time frame we would be looking at," she said, "but maybe down the road, if the gloves aren't claimed, we would donate them to a warming shelter."

Seiler said she continues to appreciate the thoughtfulness of others whenever she sees the gloves.

"Every time I look at them, I'm thankful for that individual," she said. "I just want to thank him and everyone else out there who was helping. Hats off to them."

RELATED: 'I'm a nervous wreck.' Crash victim recalls chaos and camaraderie during I-41 pileup.

RELATED: Driver in 131-vehicle pileup on Interstate 41: 'It was like a tornado. It all happened so fast.'






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