This is an iHeart Podcast. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bone Show. I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there. How did Ashes come together, Diplo? I pulled up real quick.
He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus, and we had like three hours. It was really cool. He literally just like randomly showed up to my house. I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing?
He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay. You can listen to the full episode out now wherever you get your podcast. And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible. At a blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid.
Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez. Back to schools. An exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect.
Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions. Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking.
Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. Ah come. Come on, why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient. Still using yesterday's tech?
Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, ultra-light, ultra-powerful, and built for serious productivity with Intel Core ultra-processors, blazing speed, and AI-powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around. This thing moves. Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech search at lenovo.com. Lenovo, Lenovo.
No. Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon powered by Intel Core Ultra Processors so you can work, create, and boost productivity all on one device. This is Buzz Knight from Take it a Walk. Lexis believes in the importance of standards. What are my standards?
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Head to SacksOffFit.com or SacksOffFith store near you for a style lineup you won't want to miss. And we continue with our American stories. Up next, we have the voice of Thomas Weller, aka. The San Diego Highwayman. Thomas is nationally recognized for doing something he simply calls playing on the freeway.
But what he does is truly much more. Here's Thomas with a story of why he decided he would dedicate much of his life to helping people. specifically stranded motorists. On the side of the road.
Well, here is nineteen sixty-four. And I was out. Against my mother's wishes, Tom catting around in a snowstorm one night. and I'm coming home about, oh, one, two o'clock in the morning. Yeah, with a blizzard.
And it was a two-lane highway. Yeah, and I was blown off the road into a snowbank. and my fifty eight Chevy X police car And the top was white and the back end bottom was black. That's all you could see of the car was the black trunk sticking out of the snowbank. And I'd been there for a number of hours, and I was freezing cold.
A fellow in a pickup came along. Only person that came by that night And he stopped and he pulled me out with a chain. And I said thank you and I tried to pay him. He wouldn't take any money. What he said was Pass it on when you have a chance.
I never even got his name. I didn't really. understand that he'd probably save my life until about two years later, 1966. That's when I started doing what I do and have done ever since. Charles Carrot Called me the highwayman on national T V in 1996.
He said Highwaymen of old were figures to fear. But here's a highway man to admire. Yeah, I thought that was pretty cool. My son was sitting there watching it with me on T V and he turned to me and he said, Dad, isn't a highwayman a bad thing? Yeah.
Anyway. Ever since then. I've been the San Diego Iway man. In 1964, I read a book by Rick Raphael called. Code three.
and it predicted the future of gigantic cross country highways, transcontinental highways, and vehicles that were jet powered. And the story was about This one officer's Bua, which was their vehicle, that was set up as a wrecker and patrol car, It had cranes on it for lifting wreck vehicles. It had a jail cell in the nose. And there's a picture of it. on the front page of the book.
And it just enthralled me as a teenager. And I name my Rescue Rig viewer from that. And viewer, my viewer, was a 55, 56, 57, 58, 59. It was parts of a dozen different cars. I found it initially in a vacant lot wrecked gave thirty five dollars for it, Then I paid $50 for the front end off a 56.
Buell was a 55, you see, but the 56 front end fit on it just perfect.
So for under a hundred dollars I had me a running car. This would be the car that Thomas would go on to rescue thousands of people with. I had a full toolkit. It grew over the years. I had basic emergency services stuff.
I had my. first response kit because my wife and I took EMT courses. I had gasoline, I had oil, I had air, compressed air for tires, I had several different kinds of jacks, pry bars, cutting tools. She weighed fifty six hundred pounds, With the dog. Yeah.
She was sitting in the seat when it got weighed. Sheila was Thomas's lab, also known as his shotgun rider, who went on every one of his adventures with him. I looked all over Shandioga County, When I found her... I knew it was to be. She was in the last cage, the last place I looked.
And she was in the back of the cage. and the person took me to see her. She'd only been just brought in, I looked at her. And I already had the name picked out from the Crocodile Dundee movie. Shit.
Well, I said, Sheila, would you like to come home with me? And she got up, came out to the wire and put her nose through, And anyway, two weeks later, after she'd been through all the processes and gotten fixed and everything. I came to get her. And she jumped into the rig. on the passionor side.
crossed over the driver's sign, sat down the driver's seat, Put your front paws in the steering wheel. and looked over at me like Okay, I'm ready. Get in. Let's go. And I said, Sheila, you can't drive the vehicle.
Well, she put her head down and her tail went down, she crossed over to the passenger seat and sat down and waited for me. And then when I came around and put the harness on her, the safety harness, to protect them if there was ever a crash. She lifted her paws one by one on the front. And she did that every time. One Fourth of July weekend, Thomas was out playing on the freeway.
and spotted a family in need. They were stranded at the stopwight there and I stopped to help them. and they were driving a mid-engine Mazda van with the alternator had gone bad on, and the battery was dead, and that's where they died, right there.
So I put my jumper battery in that I carry with me for these things, and I followed them to their motel up in Kearney, Mesha, Where I left the jumper battery in, disconnected, and showed them how to reconnect it. And the next morning, they came out with their van to my place in Alcohol, and I reinstalled their battery, which I charged for them overnight, and I gave them a battery so they can make it home to San Jose. running just on the battery. And I warned them not to use their lights or signals or air conditioning, and they made it. And the thing was, this particular vehicle is hard to work on and it was the Fourth of July weekend, and it would just totally ruin their weekend if they'd had to take it somewhere and try to get it fixed down here.
So the little girl Drew form a They sent me that. and it's up on my garage wall. And she even put my dog in the driver's seat of my Beulah. and it's my most favorite thank you of all the years that I've done this. Thomas had a card of his own that he would give to people after helping them.
It says Assisting you has been my pleasure. I asked for no payment. Other than for you, to pass on the favor. by helping someone in distress that you encounter. And on the back shider cord It's the words from a Country Western song.
It says, you don't owe me a thing. I've been there too.
Someone once helped me out just the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, Here's what you do. Don't let the chain of love end with you. And you've been listening to Thomas Weller, The San Diego Highwayman. Telling his story, which really started fundamentally in a snowbank where his car was trapped.
And, well, there was no one in sight until one person came by. As he put it, Thomas, a fellow in a pickup came by. and pull me out with a chain. He wouldn't take money. I never got his name.
Pass it on if you get a chance. is all he said. And my goodness Thomas has been passing it on and he has had many chances. A highwayman to admire, Charles Corot called him in nineteen ninety six. Generally highwaymen are feared.
Not this one. And we learn about Beulah, his precious car. which he cobbled together from many different cars. We're under a hundred bucks, but as he put it, For under a hundred dollars I had a running car. Weighing in at 5,600 pounds with his tools and his dog Sheila.
When we come back. More of Thomas Weller's story, a classic American story. Here. on our American stories. Time for a sofa upgrade?
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Shop now at washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. This is Justin Richmond, host of Broken Record. Lexus is a company that believes in the importance of setting a standard, which I can appreciate as someone who holds themselves to lofty if not ridiculous standards, especially with the car I drive. The standard Lexis set for themselves is to experience amazing.
Lexis measures success by the feeling and emotions evoked in a driver, like exhilaration and joy. Amazing can only be achieved by knowing people on a deeper level. The standard of amazing results in a feeling in drivers that their car was built in anticipation. of them. Machines that make you feel more human.
Because a car that doesn't make you feel something is a car that stops short of amazing. Experience Amazing at your Lexus Dealer. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez. Back to school.
It's an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions.
Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. Ah, come on, why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.
Still using yesterday's tech? Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Ultra-light, ultra-powerful, and built for serious productivity with Intel Core ultra-processors, blazing speed, and AI-powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around. Whoa, this thing moves. Stop hitting snooze on new tech.
Win the tech search at lenovo.com. And no voice. Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, powered by Intel Core Ultra Processors, so you can work, create, and boost productivity all on one device. This is Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang from Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang. JBL Tor Pro 3 earbuds are for those who don't conform to the standard.
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And we return to our American stories and to Thomas Weller, the San Diego Highwayman. who spent much of his life helping motorists. who is stranded. on the side of the road. Let's pick up.
where we last left off. I was southbound 163 and there was a 90s t-bird on the right shoulder. with a blown tire. and the fellow driving it was uh a felon, a jailbird, He was wearing a wife Peter shirt and he had the teardrop tattoos and just as I pulled up His friend pulled up with two Spare doughnuts that they were going to try on the car, and neither one of them fit.
So I gave the guy my card and I told em I'd be back with one that fit, and I drove home here to the ranch, and I picked out one that I knew would fit. Took it back to him, and when I arrived, his friend had left. He was sitting in the car reading my card, holding it in his hand. He didn't believe I was coming back. He thought he was totally screwed.
He was down from LA to pick up a friend who was getting out of jail. I put the sparrow on and it worked. and shook hands with him. and this was a really scary looking guy, and I was kind of concerned for my safety with him. I turned to leave, and all of a sudden he had his hand on my shoulder and he spun me around.
And I was thinking, Oh sh Well The guy was crying. And he's the Nobody. had ever done anything for him, the foreigner's life And he said, I just changed his life. And It Cheers me up now to tell you about it. He broke down and cried.
This big, scary looking dude, I've had a number of fellows and gals Cry. Yes, I'm helping them. There's a little gal who I helped on the one sixty Dray. She were talking a triple A on the phone when I pulled up. And she told the AAA people, Well, the Ghostbusters car just pulled up behind me.
She was initially scared of me and told me, no, she didn't want any help and wanted me to leave. But I want her over. and I change a tire for and shin her on her way. and she sent me a real nice little email saying that she was the redhead that had helped that day. And the reason She was so scared of me.
Where's it? She knew I wasn't Triple A because she was on the phone to Triple A as I pulled up. and one of her best friends had been Kara Knott. It's a long and really sad story about Kira. But This CHP offer Craig Payer killed Kara Knott.
And attempted to get away with it.
So she was not convinced at all initially that I was there to help her. And it goes uphill from there. We still correspond via email every so often. I had one toa help his wife She had a bone and shredded tie and a damaged fender by it. And he arrived as I was finishing up, and he tried to pay me.
This was expensive vehicle that had the bone tire and he was driving an expensive vehicle.
Well, I wouldn't take his money. But I lost my sunglasses that day and I either said something about it or he noticed I didn't have any. He took off his dispenser sunglasses and gave them to me. and I did accept those because the sun was pretty bright. Mm-hmm.
There were a number of CHP officers through the years who assisted me at scenes. as I assisted them as well. but one particular Osher, Osher Cammy, little bond The first time I met her, I was on the right shoulder. with a young girl in a mustang that was broken down, and also can be pulled up And walked up to me and said, Let me see your business license. And I said, I didn't know her name then.
I said, Oh, sure, I don't have a business license, but I do have this. and I gave him my card, And she read the card, And her demeanor says And she gave me a hug. And from that day. Till the last time I saw her, we were good friends. You see, I would go out to play, as I called it.
when I was despondent or depressed because every time I helped somebody it would raise my spirits.
Well this one night I'd gone out to play in a couple of hours and I hadn't found a single person to help.
So I'm headed home. and all of a sudden I get lit up and pulled over by a CHP. You know, I'm thinking That's just great. Perfect ending for a perfect day.
Now I'm going to get a ticket, and I don't know for what.
Well the usher walks up to my window and sticks its hand in the window and shakes my hand. And he said for the 17 years he'd been on the East County beat, He's seen me at accidents and breakdowns and other things, doing what I do, and he never had a chance to say thank you because I always took off so fast. I say, you pull me over to say thank you. Yep, he sure did. And that lifted my spirits considerably.
I haven't ever had a problem asking for help. To help others with, like when my car broke down or the engine blew up or I needed a part or spare tires for folks. I I didn't have any trouble asking for others when I needed stuff for them, but. It's difficult asking for meat.
So, some of the people who Thomas had helped, and others who'd heard of the work he was doing, took it upon themselves to help him back. They came together to raise money for Thomas to get a set of teeth. And I'm I'm gonna cry. Because I do have Teeth, no. thanks to like 1100 people.
some of whom I had helped, And someone never knew and never will know. and I have my teeth and I can eat. Yeah, but and I've gained a little bit of weight back. Thomas played on the freeway for 51 years and helped over 10,000 people on the side of the road. In 2017, Thomas had a stroke that partially disabled him.
preventing him from playing on the freeway any longer. Um recovered from cancer two months ago. Luckily they got it all. Um We were happy to still be here. Folks have sent me emails and letters and a couple of folks have posted stories on the internet about their experiences with me and what it meant to them.
and the things that they'd done in return. There's just so many of 'em. I got stories to fill several books, but a lot of them are just in my memory and my my one foot stack high of letters and emails and pictures and such. But you're all in my memory. I've had Numerous experiences that convince me that there are angels out there.
And I've been called An angel. many times my own self. I just realized that I might not have been here. if it hadn't been for that one feller helping me. And there's been a number of people since who have espoused similar feelings for what I did for them.
And a terrific job on the production by Madison Derricott. And a special thanks to Thomas Weller. The San Diego Highwayman 51 years 10,000 people help 10,000 stories. in the end, and he shared some of them with us. That 90s T-bird that was blown out, a blown-out tire that is, and an ex-felon who was driving it, and he was driving to pick up another ex-con.
Coming out of jail. And the guy looked tough. And he had to leave that ex-con stranded, go back, get a tire, and then come back to him. And when he was leaving after having fixed the problem, He felt a hand on the shoulder. When he turned around he was a little afraid and then he saw he had nothing to fear at all because that ex-con was crying.
No one had ever done something for me, that man said. He even got pulled over by a cop who wanted to just thank him. And how often does that happen in any of our lives that we get pulled over by law enforcement just to say thank you? Numerous experiences in my life tell me that there are angels out there.
Well, Thomas Weller is one of them. The story of Thomas Weller here on Our American Stories. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bone Show. I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there. How did Ashes come together, Diplo?
I pulled up real quick. He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus and we had like three hours. It was really cool. He literally just like randomly showed up to my house.
I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing? He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay. You can listen to the full episode out now wherever you get your podcast. And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible.
At a blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid. It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Lifelock is here with tips to help protect your identity, use strong passwords, set up multi-factor authentication, report scams, and update your software. And for comprehensive identity protection, Lifelock is your best choice. Lifelock alerts you to suspicious uses of your personal information and fixes identity theft, guaranteed, or your money back.
Start your protection today with a 30-day free trial at Lifelock.com. Use promo code NEWS. Terms apply. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez.
Back to schools. An exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor, Check in. Ask questions.
Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. Come on, why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.
Still using yesterday's tech? Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, ultra-light, ultra-powerful, and built for serious productivity with Intel Core ultra-processors, blazing speed, and AI-powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around. Oh, this thing moves. Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech search at lenovo.com.
Lenovo, Lenovo. Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, powered by Intel Core Ultra Processors, so you can work, create, and boost productivity all on one device. When you own your own business, you own every decision. Catch the red eye or take the 6 a.m. Make a new hire or promote internally.
Celebrate a win with the toast at the gate or unwind at the lounge. Mm-hmm. Big props to this team.
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Morgan Chase Bank and a member of FPIC subject to credit approval terms apply. This is an iHeart Podcast.
