In the small community of Basom, a restaurant became a makeshift refuge for 115 stranded passers-by and four dogs for two days, said Joe Bradt, the general manager. “We made an instantaneous decision that we were going to become a shelter.”
People slept wherever they could, he said: on chairs, on floors and on the bar of the establishment, the Alabama Hotel, which despite its name is not — in normal times — a hotel. Neighbors and local businesses donated supplies, an outpouring of support which made the mood, despite the storm, “ecstatic,” he said.
“It’s been an emotional last two days,” Mr. Bradt said.
Perhaps the most unlikely blizzard development occurred when Alexander and Andrea Campagna answered a knock at their door on Friday. Outside were nine Korean tourists on their way from Washington, D.C., to Niagara Falls, whose tour bus was stuck in the snow in front of their house.
The Campagnas quickly invited them in, which is how they found themselves eating jeyuk bokkeum, a Korean stir-fried pork dish, prepared by some of their guests, on Christmas Eve. The visitors were delighted to discover that couple, fans of Korean food, had all the traditional ingredients on hand.
On Christmas evening, drivers finally arrived to pick up the tourists, who included college students, a student’s parents and even a young newlywed couple on their honeymoon. They were headed to New York City with plans to then fly home. Had they stayed one more night in Buffalo, beef bulgogi was on the menu.
“We have enjoyed this so much,” said Mr. Campagna, who said he now plans to visit South Korea.
On Sunday afternoon, as residents and emergency service workers pitched in to help each other dig out, Carmen Spataro, 28, drove his ATV up and down Hurtle Street, a normally busy shopping area, seeking milk and diapers for his two young children and growing increasingly desperate as he found all the stores closed.
Yet, after a few laps, Mr. Spataro got the supplies he needed: A stranger put a box of diapers in his hands.
Christine Chung, Ava Sasani and Robert Chiarito contributed reporting.
Sarah Maslin Nir and Michael D. Regan
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