This past weekend, many New Yorkers gathered around with family to celebrate Christmas. Unfortunately for one family, a relative got lost and nearly froze to death in the frigid Buffalo weather. Thankfully, a local couple saved his life. Here's what happened:

64 year old Joey is a mentally disabled individual who works at the North Park Theatre. It is presumed that on Thursday, he went to work but stayed overnight to avoid the bad weather, and then eventually attempted to walk home. As many know, Buffalo was hit hard by the recent Polar Vortex. That being said, Joey got caught in the storm and just barely made it out with his life.

Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
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On Christmas Eve, local mother of three Sha'Kyra Aughtry could hear someone crying for help outside. Her boyfriend Trent went outside and found Joey in a snow bank, so he carried him inside to safety. Joey's body was so frozen that the couple had to cut off his socks, blow dry his pants which were frozen to his legs, and cut a Wegmans bag out of his hands.

Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
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Sha'Kyra took care of Joey the way any mother would: feeding him, cleaning him, washing his clothes, and giving him warm blankets-- doing all that she could to keep him comfortable until medical help was available. She even had her own family Facetime Joey to keep him entertained and distracted from the pain. Joey's frostbite on his hands had taken a turn for the worse, turning gangrene, so Sha'Kyra posted on Facebook asking anyone to help. Strangers from the area gathered at her house to help plow out their truck and help carry Joey outside to the car so they could make it to the hospital.

Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
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Sha'Kyra rode with Joey to the hospital to make sure he felt safe. As they arrived at the hospital and nurses began taking care of him, she comforts Joey by saying "No one is going to hurt you honey" (Sweet Buffalo, Facebook). It turns out that Joey had fourth degree frostbite burns, so he is currently in the burn unit at ECMC. Joey’s sister is extremely grateful, saying that Sha'Kyra Aughtry saved her brother’s life. Many Facebook commenters have deemed her Joey's guardian angel.

Sweet Buffalo's Facebook Post

Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
Sweet Buffalo via Facebook
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If you would like to send Joey a card to bring him some joy in this time of recovery, you can send one to him at the following address:

Joe White
ECMC
462 Grider Street
Buffalo, NY 14215
Room #1956

If you'd like to donate to each of their Go Fund Me pages, you can find them here:

Sha'Kyra's GoFundMe

Joey's GoFundMe

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