Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

I am writing this letter to thank Lori Mahoney for an incredible act of kindness, which reaffirmed my belief in human goodness.

I was driving on the Vineyard Haven-Edgartown Road last week looking for a flowering hanging basket for my deck when suddenly my car started to veer off the road with a loud bang! Fortunately, I was almost opposite Jardin Mahoney’s Garden Center and so I limped into the parking lot, jumped out of my car and viewed a totally flat tire.

While I debated what to do next, I saw the perfect hanging plant in Mahoney’s floral exhibit and hailed a young woman who was watering plants. She took the plant down and headed for the parking lot and said, “Which car is yours?” I said, “You can’t miss my car. It has a flat tire.” On that she headed out and when she reached my car, she took a jack out of the trunk, unhooked my spare tire, and proceeded to change the tire! I was so amazed I asked her who I could go to and tell that person what she had done. She said “look for Paul,” and he and his gorgeous golden retriever followed me back to my car. She refused to let me pay her and I learned later that Paul is Lou’s dad and owns Mahoney’s.

My heartfelt thanks.

Anne Gallagher, Oak Bluffs