Jerry's Hilltop Becomes a Refuge

RANDOLPH, NE - A northeast Nebraska diner became a refuge for those stranded in the storm Wednesday night.

The white-out conditions caused highway 81 to be impassable, leaving drivers and families with nowhere to go.

Jerry's Hilltop in Randolph took them in for the night and fed the fire and rescue team that guarded the highway.

The employee who stayed overnight with everyone says the experience was scary -- her brother went down the hill they're stationed at and got in a three-vehicle wreck. Luckily, Gail Hansen's brother left the wreck unscathed. Instead of being in a hospital, he spent the morning of Christmas eve digging the gas station out of mounds of snow.

"I was really amazed how people come together in times like this, especially with our first responders," Hansen said.