Iowa, Minnesota State Patrols Team up to Help Hampton Family

The recent blizzard that blew through northern Iowa left one Hampton family in fear that they wouldn't be able to retrieve life-saving medication for their daughter.

Jan Abbas told the Chronicle that her daughter, Margaret, has been taking the same medication since she was very young, and that she ran out of it on Saturday, March 14 — the day before the recent blizzard was projected to make its way through the area.

"The medication was supposed to be delivered by Friday and she was out by Saturday," she said.

So she got to work, reaching out to law enforcement for help, as she had remembered them helping someone else in a similar situation many years ago.

"About 38 years ago, I remember the highway patrol came to our house to get medicine to Iowa City for a girl that had the same thing as Margaret. They took it to the airport and it was flown to Iowa City," she said. "So I knew they could probably help. I made many calls and I talked to so many people, but I don't give up. I will always be there for our two kids, no matter how old they are! I'm their mom and I love them so very much!"

Before she knew it, the Minnesota State Patrol and Iowa state patrols agreed to team up to get the medication to them, transporting it from southern Minnesota to northern Iowa, passing off the package at the state line.

Iowa State Trooper Bryan Hillyer then met Jan and Margaret at their home Saturday afternoon, hours before the blizzard hit, where the two women greeted him with smiles and a plate of cookies.

"The first call went out at 9:45 and by 1:45 Bryan pulled up in our driveway!" said Jan.

Jan said that Trooper Bryan Hillyer was wonderful to work with and very personable. Hillyer, who joined the Iowa State Patrol in 2020, is a graduate of Clear Lake High School, where he participated in wrestling and cross country, along with being a member of the National Honor Society.

"This Bryan was so nice," Jan said. “We thank the Minnesota and Iowa state patrols for making this possible.”

A representative with ISP told the Chronicle that Hillyer is the perfect example of how a trooper should carry themselves, serving as leaders in their communities.

“The Iowa State Patrol takes great pride in our courtesy, professionalism, and the services we provide to the public," the representative said. "This is just another example of the compassion our Troopers have for the citizens we serve. Trooper Hillyer is an example of what our expectations are of an Iowa State Trooper.”