Eloise Ogden/MDN Father of the bride George Lowther, left, and R&J’s Towing driver Eric Schmidt are shown with the R&J’s Towing truck Schmidt used when he came to the rescue of Lowther and his granddaughter last month. Without Schmidt’s help they might have missed the wedding of Lowther’s daughter and his granddaughter’s mother.

Eric Schmidt, a driver for R&J’s Towing in Minot, is commended for going “above and beyond” when he helped father of the bride, George Lowther, and his granddaughter with a vehicle having mechanical problems on the day they were going to a wedding. With Schmidt’s help, they got to the wedding.

Lowther, who lives in Minot, said his granddaughter, Emily Lowther, was driving the car that stalled that day. “She was just getting off work at the Y and was on her way home to change clothes. The car stalled and she called me,” said Lowther. “I went out there and tried to jump it and wasn’t able to get it going.” The car first stalled near Jim Hill Middle School.

After spending about 15 minutes trying to get the car started, George Lowther said they were going to be late if they didn’t get their situation figured out. “We better call Triple A,” he said, referring to AAA, the auto club group.

Schmidt and a tow truck from R&J’s Towing in Minot arrived shortly “to the rescue,” Lowther said.

Schmidt and Lowther said that day (Friday, Oct. 5) was a nasty weather day with a cold temperature and sleet.

“I asked him to jump the car first,” Lowther said. Lowther had brought along a volt meter and wanted to test if the alternator was working. “It just kicked over right away. There was a little bit of charge on the battery so it was running,” Lowther said.

But Lowther didn’t think the car would make it to the shop.”

“I’ll follow you,” Schmidt offered to Lowther and his granddaughter.

“Really. That’s cool, “ Lowther thought.

The car only made it a few blocks down the road and stalled again at the intersection of Broadway and 11th. But Schmidt was right behind the car and put it on the tow truck to take it the rest of the way to Superior Auto. Lowther followed in his vehicle and picked up his granddaughter because they had a wedding to attend.

“It was my daughter (April) getting married and my granddaughter’s mother so both of us needed to be there,” Lowther said.

“It was one of those mornings. High anxiety but we made it,” Lowther said, adding, “We got there about five minutes late.” They thought the wedding was in the Ward County Administration Building but it was in the Ward County Courthouse.

“He saved the day,” Lowther said of Schmidt.

Schmidt didn’t know the Lowthers were on their way to a wedding that day until the towing company received a notice from Triple A. Lowther had responded to a survey from Triple A asking him how he liked his recent service.

Schmidt, who has been with R&J’s since June but has worked for other towing companies, said it comes up at times that they give some extra help to people.

R&J’s Towing is owned by Rod and Judy Peterson.

Lowther, praising Schmidt and R&J’s Towing, said, “He stayed with us until everything was resolved – until we got to the repair shop.”