What started out as a normal, busy day for assistant general manager Hailie Johnson and the rest of the team at U-Haul Moving and Storage of Boise turned out to be anything but that.
While assisting customers, a situation no one ever wants to encounter took place.
“The customer in line told me to call 9-1-1, but all I could think was, ‘I know we’re very busy but that’s no need to call 9-1-1,’” Johnson said. “But he looked genuinely distressed, and as I walked around the counter I quickly realized he was serious. We really did need to call for help because there was a woman laying on the ground.”
Johnson had a customer call 9-1-1 while she began administering CPR. After some tense moments, the woman’s eyes were open and Johnson was talking to her, explaining what had happened.
“Through it all, I knew I could handle the situation,” Johnson said. “I’m always ready to help.”
Take Action
If you want to credit someone for Johnson’s quick thinking and helpful demeanor, then look no further than Dawn Snapp, executive assistant for U-Haul Company of Idaho. Snapp is her mother.
“The quote, ‘Treat others the way you want to be treated,’ was a way of life growing up,” Johnson said. “A good, solid work ethic was valued in our home. As my mom would say, ‘At some point you’re going to have to ask your neighbor for some sugar,’ meaning there will be a day you’ll be in need and you’ll want someone there for you. So we should be there for others.”
Snapp added: “Our family didn’t grow up wealthy. I know what it’s like to need help from others, and I’ve always believed in helping others. I encouraged my kids that if they can help others, then just do it. Just take action. And I think that’s why Hailie dropped everything and leaped into action that day.”
Role Model
Snapp (Center) has been actively helping the American Cancer Society since 2008.
Snapp works with the Garden City Chamber of Commerce in Boise, which assists organizations like the Boys and Girls Clubs. She also has been active with the American Cancer Society since 2008, and has even gone to Washington, D.C., to speak with lawmakers on behalf of individuals battling cancer by showing her support for health care-related bills.
“I always thought I did the work for the American Cancer Society to help honor my grandmother, who passed away from lung cancer. But my work with them really hit home for me after my teenage son was diagnosed with cancer last July,” Snapp said. “He’s doing well, all things considered. He has a good attitude about what’s going on with him. But it really does put a face to all my efforts.”
Mother and daughter agree that a selfless attitude easily translates to a Team Member’s work at U-Haul.
“Every day at U-Haul, we help others,” Snapp said. “And while sharing trucks and trailers with our customers might not involve passing laws or serving children in need, it’s still the same philosophy. We’re the face of U-Haul to the customers, and we should all want to see them satisfied.”
“Helping others through a charitable organization isn’t really that much different than helping someone while working at U-Haul,” Johnson added. “Brightening someone’s day is a good thing, whether you’re doing it for work or not.”
