A Buffalo woman is giving thanks to employees at Target for keeping her family safe during the “once in a lifetime” winter storm.

“We have been stranded at Target on Walden since 12 p.m. yesterday,” Jessica Sypniewskiposted to Facebookon Christmas Eve after she took refuge inside the store along with more than 20 others.

“I have never felt so scared in my life but we are safe and warm!!” she added.

Jessica Lee.Jessica Lee Facebook

Buffalo mom details being stranded overnight at Target with 2 kids during historic blizzard

“I cannot say enough to the Target employees who opened their doors to us and have provided everything we have needed, you guys are literally life savers!!” she continued. “We have made a s—-y situation OKAY!!”

The storm, which dumped an estimated four feet of snow and packed 70-mile-per-hour winds, overwhelmed the region, resulting inat least 39 deathsand stranding hundreds of motorists, including Sypniewski and her boyfriend, her 7- and 11-year-old children, and two other family members.

Jessica Lee and her family.Jessica Lee Facebook

Buffalo mom details being stranded overnight at Target with 2 kids during historic blizzard

“We were picking up my boyfriend’s sister and her boyfriend,” Sypniewskitold TODAY.com. “On our way back home, we got stranded in the Target plaza out of coincidence.”

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After realizing they couldn’t stay the night inside their car, the group banged on the snow-and-ice-covered doors at Target and found welcoming employees with blankets, heaters and hot chocolate from the in-store Starbucks.

“Everybody was very welcoming,” said Sypniewski.

Buffalo mom details being stranded overnight at Target with 2 kids during historic blizzard

“The folks at Target, their salaried employees were the people that were left in the building and they tookamazing care of everybody,” said Beverly David Lewis and her husband Danny, who were among those stranded at the store, reported WGRZ.

“I’ve had a lot of experiences, but this is really a top 10 for sure,” added Lewis.

source: people.com