An elderly couple from Austin avoided disaster with the help of some good Samaritans Saturday night.

Mower County deputies were dispatched to search for Robert and Besse Noble, both age 81. Dispatch received a call from some friends of the couple who said they hadn’t returned home yet after visiting.

The car, a 2007 Ford Fusion, was found by Jared Hanson, 15, Michael Fadden, 23, and Christopher Stewart, 20, near 52072 243rd St. in Lansing Township. Hanson lived in the area near the Freeborn/Mower Road.

According to Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi, the three found Besse still in the car and Robert had gone to look for help.

When deputies and Austin police arrived on the scene the three had found Robert, collapsed in the ditch, and had placed both him and Besse in Hanson’s truck to warm up. Robert was observed to have white spots on his face and ears and was complaining of eye pain.

Both were transported to Austin Medical Center by Gold Cross Ambulance.

The area was suffering from blizzard conditions Saturday night with bitterly cold weather. According to Amazi, the situation could have been much worse had the three not shown up when then did.

“It was real important to these folks,” Amazi said. “This could have been a real bad situation. This could have been fatal.”