Texas couple nearly stranded in Nebraska snow storm

Texas natives Joe and Jane Reeves did not expect to be spending New Year’s Day with their van broken down in Nebraska.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Texas natives Joe and Jane Reeves did not expect to be spending New Year’s Day with their van broken down in Nebraska.

“We lost our cruise control, and when the cruise control goes off, this van being the way it is, it messes everything else up,” Joe said.

Joe is a less-than-truckload (LTL) freight driver who was on the way to Wisconsin before their van broke down.

While the Reeves had some emergency supplies, as well as stove and a heater, Joe says he and his wife were lucky that their vehicle broke down when it did.

“I don’t see too many rabbits running around out there,” he said. “I’d probably starve to death before I froze.”

The Reeves say they stopped Shoemaker’s Truck Stop in Lincoln when they realized their cruise control was not working.

“We pulled over to the nearest stop, which was Shoemaker’s here, and when we were getting our food, the [fan] belt broke and we lost our heat,” Joe said.

“It’ll start up, but we don’t have any heat, no power steering, no anything,” Jane added.

Because of the holiday, Joe says he can’t get a mechanic to fix the van until Monday.

It’s not an ideal way to spend New Year’s Day, but Joe says he and Jane are choosing to look on the bright side.

“Thank God, we were here instead out there,” he said. “And that’s trying to be optimistic about my glass is half-full, not half-empty, kind of thing. But yeah, we’re here and we’re safe and we’re warm.”

The Reeves say they are waiting on another van to pick up their load and take it to Wisconsin. They plan on staying in a Lincoln hotel until their van is fixed.

“With God as our pilot, we’re fine,” Joe said.