Workers help young customer

Gabe Webb, 8, stands outside Exxon Hy-Miler, 247 S. Sandusky St., with employees who surprised him with gifts Friday afternoon. Gabe, a regular customer at the station, was injured Jan. 19 when he was hit by a truck outside his home in Fremont and was taken by Life Flight to ProMedica Toledo Children's Hospital. Hy-Miler employees gave Gabe a company shirt, a lanyard with a name tag that says "Exxon's No. 1 Customer," a $100 gift card and a $25 McDonald's gift card. A customer who was in the store gave him $10. Gabe's mother, Lynette Webb, said he is recovering and is "a true miracle." Employees on hand included (front, from left) Sharette Bauman, employee in Tiffin; Anna Downing, manager in Port Clinton; Shelley Allbright, employee in Tiffin; Lyndsey Lash, employee in Tiffin; Jeremy Alvarez, manager in Tiffin; Gabe's grandfather, Clarence Straight; Tina Cass, manager in Bucyrus; (back row from left) Andrew Kleinhans, manager in Fremont; Ty Pier, manager in Findlay; and Territory Manager Benjamin Wilkinson. Alvarez said it was awesome to surprise Gabe and shows the little things the station can do for the community. "We're here to help people," he said. "Our customers come first." Lynette Webb said the gifts were kind. "There are great people here," she said. "It restores your faith and makes you feel better."