Two Gas Station Workers Pull 36-Hour Shift To Help Their Community During Blizzard

March 12, 2026

When the Blizzard of ’26 buried Rhode Island under three feet of snow, many essential workers stepped up in extraordinary ways to keep their communities going.

At a gas station in Newport, two employees went above and beyond—staying on the job for nearly two straight days to help the people working tirelessly through the storm.

Krystal and Anthony / Seasons Corner Market

Krystal Waite, the store manager, and assistant manager Anthony Lopez arrived at the Seasons Corner Market on the night of February 22. With the blizzard raging outside, they ended up staying until February 24 — 36 hours later.

Instead of heading home, the two leaned on each other to keep going.

“We stood awake. We bounced off each other’s energy,” Waite said.

While many people think of medical staff and first responders when they hear the term “essential worker,” Waite and Lopez quickly realized just how important their roles were during the storm. At first, they weren’t sure anyone would even stop by.

“We thought we weren’t going to have anybody here,” Lopez said.

But before long, plow drivers and other workers battling the storm began showing up.

Knowing those crews needed a place to warm up and recharge, the employees opened the café to serve hot coffee and provide a safe place to take a break.

“If we weren’t open, they would have had no safe place to go to relax, walk around, or even get gas or food,” Waite explained.

After finishing a grueling 20-hour shift, a nurse even walked through the snow to reach the store. Waite and Lopez stepped in to help, arranging for one of the plow drivers to give her a ride home.

For 36 hours, the two stayed on the job—keeping the coffee hot and the doors open for the people working tirelessly through the storm.

"I couldn't have done it with a better person," Waite said of Lopez.

"It felt good—that was the biggest part. It felt good to help people," Lopez added.

Watch the video below: