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A mom-of-two detailed the terrifying moment her family got stranded at Target during the Buffalo blizzard after their car got stuck in the snow.
Jessica Sypniewski, 33, from Buffalo, New York, left her home with her two kids – aged seven and 11 – during the storm of the century that has devastated the city to pick up her family across town, never thinking it would end with them spending the night at the department store.
In an interview with Today, Jessica detailed how the blizzard left her family terrified and banging on the doors of Target, desperately searching for help, before ‘life-saving’ employees rescued them.
Jessica Sypniewski shared the terrifying moment her family got stranded at Target during the Buffalo blizzard after their car got stuck in the snow (Jessica’s children aged seven and 11 pictured)
The 33-year-old, from Buffalo, left her home with her two kids during the blizzard to pick up family when they were left stranded in the shopping plaza
In a post shared to Facebook, Jessica detailed the family’s distressing ordeal, adding that 22 people were stuck at Target alongside her family
‘We were picking up my boyfriend’s sister and her boyfriend, on our way back home, we got stranded in the Target plaza out of coincidence,’ Jessica said.
All six of them sat stranded in their car adjacent to the store before going inside.
‘We were scared of snow drifts, so we went into the grocery store because they were still open. But they didn’t let us stay there,’ she explained.
The family was forced to go back to their car but after about 40 minutes, they couldn’t bear the cold any longer and needed to find shelter.
‘I saw a line of cars with their four-way flashers on outside Target. I banged on the door (of the store) and they let us in,’ the mom-of-two told Today.
As soon as Jessica and her family walked into the department store, they noticed an ‘overwhelming’ feeling of mixed emotions, but were thankful they were able to find protection against the blizzard.
‘I was holding my son and one of the employees walked toward me and he threw a blanket on me,’ she said.
Jessica explained that they weren’t they only ones stuck in Target and that they all took seats next to heaters, adding that the employees made sure everyone was comfortable.
The stranded group were treated to hot cocoa from Starbucks. There were 22 people who spent the night in Target alongside Jessica’s family.
As soon as Jessica and her family walked into the department store, they noticed an ‘overwhelming’ feeling of mixed emotions
She said: ‘I was holding my son and one of the employees walked toward me and he threw a blanket on me’
Jessica explained that the employees made everyone who was stranded feel very welcome and even made them hot cocoa
While other members of Jessica’s family offered to come get them, the mom was terrified and knew there was no chance of her and her children being able to walk to the main roads
And while other members of Jessica’s family offered to come get them, the mom was terrified, and knew there was no chance she and her children would be able to walk to the main roads.
‘People died in their cars and that was my worst fear. If the snow drifts come over us, there were a million things running through my head at the time,’ she told Today.
On Christmas Eve, Target employees created a path to walk to the main road, and a friend was able to pick Jessica and her family up.
In a now-viral post shared to Facebook over the weekend, Jessica spoke about the family’s distressing ordeal alongside many photos of their sleepover at Target.
She captioned the post: ‘We have been stranded at Target on Walden since 12pm yesterday, I have never felt so scared in my life but we are safe and warm!!
‘I cannot say enough to the Target employees who opened their doors to us and have provided everything we have needed, you guys are literally life savers!!
‘We have made a s***ty situation okay!’
The executive vice president and chief stores officer for Target, Mark Schindele, told Today that the actions of the employees exemplified the store’s values.
On Christmas Eve, Target employees created a path to walk to the main road and a friend was able to pick Jessica and her family up
The storm has been coined the blizzard of the century and has battered the eastern seaboard and mid-west with freezing temperatures, multiple feet of snow and flooding
More than 200 million people nationwide have been impacted by the storm
‘Usually when we refer to “Tarzhay” magic, we’re talking about the kind of products our guests can only find at Target and just can’t live without.
‘On Christmas Eve, that phrase took on a whole new meaning. Thanks to the compassion and quick thinking of the team members at our Walden Galleria store, they were able to provide shelter to those who were stranded, and also offered care, comfort and holiday cheer.
‘Their actions are a living example of Target’s values and we are thankful to have been able to assist those in need.’
Jessica explained that she will never forget how kind and welcoming the store employees were to her family.
She says she will never forget the kindness that was shown to her family.
‘I know people think that we are used to this kind of weather and we are, but not to this extent. If it wasn’t for Target, I don’t know where we’d be. We didn’t have a next move,’ she added.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said almost every fire truck in Buffalo was stranded in the snow
Cars have been buried under several feet of snow and people have reported being stranded on highways, unable to get help
A public service advert has asked anybody with a snowmobile to come forward to aid emergency services in Erie County, New York
The storm has been coined the blizzard of the century, and has battered the eastern seaboard and mid-west with freezing temperatures, multiple feet of snow and flooding.
More than 200 million people nationwide have been impacted by the storm, leaving many families pleading for help as many have died after being trapped in their cars blanketed by several feet of snow.
The National Guard has been deployed to help with the rescue efforts after emergency services were overwhelmed.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that every fire truck in Buffalo was stranded in the snow, adding that it was estimated about 500 cars were stuck on.
The New York state governor said the aftermath of the storm resembled a ‘war zone.’
Buffalo hasn’t suffered a storm this deadly since 1950, making the combination of fierce snow, wind and freezing temperatures the most lethal in over 70 years.
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