Homeless mother, with only $60 and 4 bald tires, receives ‘huge shock’ from local business

AMMON — When Alissa Brough drove into the Discount Tire parking lot Tuesday, she had $60 and four bald tires that badly needed to be replaced. She didn’t expect to leave with money still in her pocket and brand new tires on her car.

Alissa, who is living in a homeless shelter with her two children, called Discount Tire earlier in the day asking how much it would be to put used tires on.

“I explained my situation and told them I didn’t have much money,” she tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The manager, Josh Jones, told me to come in anyway and we would work something out.”

Alissa’s father, Dennis Brough, says he was concerned about the state of his daughter’s tires.

“They were worn all the way to the belts and looked like they were going to explode,” Dennis says. “I told her, ‘What happens if they explode on the way home and you’re stranded?'”

Alissa took the car in, and after the maintenance workers finished putting on replacement tires, they handed her an invoice.

“I told them I didn’t understand why it said $0,” she recalls. “They had put on four brand-new tires instead of the cheaper ones I was expecting — for free. They also disposed of my old tires, which usually has a fee, and they balanced all four tires.”

When Alissa expressed her confusion to Jones, he told her, “We just want you safe.”

Alissa estimates charges for everything — new tires, balancing and manual labor — would have come to around $600.

To express his gratitude, Alissa’s father took a dozen donuts to Discount Tire Wednesday morning. The company declined to comment to EastIdahoNews.com and Jones wasn’t there, but Dennis expressed his thanks to the workers.

“They shine like a diamond to me right now. I couldn’t afford to help her, and they did,” he says.

Alissa adds, “I’m so grateful for this huge shock. It’s relieved a lot of my stress.”