Just another chapter in the legend of Jerry Kirby.
When Newport woke up Tuesday morning buried under 36+ inches of snow — streets frozen, cars swallowed, the city completely at a standstill — most people were still staring out the window wondering where to begin.
Not Jerry.
He fired up his backhoe and dug out his entire neighborhood before most of us had our first cup of coffee. Then he rolled over to @ashmartnewport to grab one — and dug them out, too.
Because of course he did.
From there, he spent the day carving through the Fifth Ward, clearing street after street, driveway after driveway, walkway after walkway. Dozens upon dozens. Friends. Neighbors. Strangers. Anyone who needed help.
No spotlight. No invoice. Just grit and heart.
Then he brought in the cavalry. Jerry rallied his crew at Kirby Perkins Construction and they spent the rest of the week digging out businesses, families, and anyone else buried under the storm.
And here’s the thing — this isn’t some random guy with a machine or Newport’s top contractor.
Jerry Kirby is one of the best sailors in the entire world. A world-class competitor. A Newport icon on the water. And apparently, when the harbor freezes over and the snow piles high, he just trades the tiller for a backhoe and keeps right on leading.
On the sea. On the streets. Same energy.
For everything this man has done for Newport, we don’t just owe him a thank you — we owe him a parade down Thames Street.
Jerry Kirby isn’t just a rockstar.
He’s a Newport institution.
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