MARICOPA, Ariz. — Maricopa's Jeremy Hill recently bought a 15-foot trailer for his business, but instead of work materials, he is now filling it with donations and supplies for victims of Hurricane Helene and Milton.
He and his wife will then drive the trailer across the country to give the donations to those in need.
“I just feel like I need to do this," Hill said.
The plan is to collect as many donations before they leave Sunday at 6:00 a.m. Their first spot will be Tennessee, then North Carolina to help Hurricane Helene victims, and then potentially Florida after.
“We have car seats, nonperishable foods, camping items, tents," Hill added. "We probably have like eight tents in here.”
Hill is a military veteran and wants to use his experience to help with search and rescue.
“I can help. I don’t mind climbing mountains, go over logs, wade through water," Hill said. "It’s not like I haven’t done it for our country before.”
There are a few ways Hill is collecting donations. People can drop off donations at his home after reaching out to him via his phone number or message his business Facebook page JBH Maintenance & Remodeling LLC, or he will come pick up donations, or people can donate money to his Cashapp: $Ranger8297.
Janis Keasling heard about what the Hills were doing and wanted to donate her late husband Dale's winter coats because she said that's what he would've wanted.
“Oh my gosh, when I saw that I thought those poor people in the mountains. I know how cold it gets over there. I knew that’s where he’d want those coats to go,” she said.
Hill and his wife are putting their careers on hold for this trip. For the next week and a half, he is pausing JBH Maintenance & Remodeling LLC and his wife is taking unpaid time off.
When Jeremy was younger, he and his family went through Hurricane Andrew in 1992. He said he understands how badly people need this kind of help.
“It was hell," Hill stated. "I remember taking baths in trashcans down in the lake and no power.”
Now, anything Hill can do to save a life or help he said he’s going to do it because it's the right thing to do.
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