MORGANTOWN — Like most people regularly traveling Grafton Road, Morgantown Police Lt. Jason Ammons was both bemused and intrigued earlier this summer to see a mobile home seemingly abandoned for weeks at the entrance to Scott Avenue.
So, like most people, he took to Facebook.
“I saw all the comments, and they’re funny – and then they’re not,” he said.
Standing before Morgantown City Council earlier this week, Ammons recalled the exact moment the little house on the highway stopped being a punchline in his mind.
“I remember seeing that somebody said, ‘If only everybody knew the story.’ So, I just reached out to the lady and said, ‘Call me. Tell me the story.’” Ammons explained.
The story is the mobile home represented a new start for a couple that had lost their home to a fire. The home had been donated, but it needed to be relocated – an undertaking that can cost thousands of dollars.
Whatever the details surrounding the initial effort to move the trailer, it’s clear the results were pretty disastrous.
It initially sat along Kingwood Pike, near the I-68 overpass.
Then it sat along Grafton Road.
The West Virginia Division of Highways started asking questions.
The social media commentary began.
And Ammons started making phone calls.
“I do know a decent amount of people,” Ammons said, explaining he reached out to a racing buddy who owns a moving company. “He said, ‘Man, if you can give me some money just for my equipment, I’ll come move it for free as far as business goes. No problem.’ Then the announcer at the racetrack where we race said, ‘Hey, I’ll do a GoFundMe.’”
And that’s what happened.
The house was moved to property a little further down Grafton Road and the remaining GoFundMe dollars went to getting it set up and the electricity turned on.
Ammons was recognized by Morgantown City Council on Aug. 26 for his willingness to step into a situation above and beyond his duty as a Morgantown Police officer to assist community members when they needed it most.
“Knowing Jason, I don’t think he would consider that working too much above and beyond what he’s normally called to do – but I think everybody else does,” Morgantown Police Chief Eric Powell said. “I certainly appreciated it and I think it definitely is worthy of recognition, especially along the lines of just demonstrating the engagement and care of community that’s really what a police officer should exemplify – working within the job, going that extra mile and making the extra effort to help people in need.”
Morgantown City Councilor Joe Abu-Ghannam said the fact that so many people were responsive to Ammons’ calls to get involved speaks volumes about his reputation within the community.
“I feel really humbled for it,” Ammons said of the recognition. “We’re just trying to make sure somebody had a place to live.”
