Search and Rescue Volunteer Gets Help After Snowy Car Accident | My Member Story

When Madison Knape decided to join the search and rescue team in Kane County, Utah as a high school senior, he had no idea he would be in a position to need rescuing himself.

The Kane County search and rescue team is something very near and dear to Madison’s heart. Not only is his father a member of the team, but his grandfather had gotten lost in the surrounding mountains many years ago and needed help. The sheriff’s department called in the search and rescue team from Arizona.

Growing up with that story, his father’s interest in search and rescue, plus knowing others who were already involved, gave Madison the idea to go for it himself. He joined just a few short months after his father and they’ve been training together ever since!

Snowy car accident

This past Valentine’s Day, Madison, his wife and two children were traveling to his mother’s work to deliver a sweet gift. He was driving his wife’s SUV on this very snowy day and ended up behind a semi-truck on Kanab’s Main Street. The semi wasn’t able to make the turn in the middle of town and came to an unexpected stop.

Because there was quite a bit of oncoming traffic, Madison wasn’t able to swerve out of the way safely. While he managed to avoid a head-on collision, he clipped the truck with the front corner of the SUV. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, but the car was totaled.

Insurance woes lead to a financial rescue

Madison filed an insurance claim right away and eventually learned that the insurance pay off amount would not completely cover what he owed on the auto loan, even with full coverage.

Trying to figure out his best next move was causing Madison a lot of stress. He knew, for sure, he needed to buy a new car for his wife. Should he get a personal loan to cover the difference and have an additional loan payment to make each month? Or would it be better to add that amount into his new auto loan and just deal with paying more than the new vehicle was worth? Either way, he was going to have to pay more.

He decided to go into the Kanab branch of Mountain America Credit Union where he had his auto loan and other accounts to see if they could help.

Mountain America steps in with a solution

Madison sat down with his loan officer, Tabitha, and explained the situation. Tabitha was not just another credit union employee—she was the one who had set up Madison’s auto loan from the beginning. She was very familiar with his finances.

When Tabitha heard what happened to Madison and his family, she was first concerned with their well-being. After finding out everyone was fine, she said, “If I remember correctly, we added Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) to your loan.”

Madison had forgotten about adding this coverage and, once Tabitha confirmed he had it, he instantly felt lighter. “I could have done a back flip in the middle of the lobby,” he said. “I didn’t have to come up with additional money and everything was going to work out!”

Things get even better

Having GAP on his auto loan saved his family finances. But the good news didn’t end there. Madison also found out that, with this coverage, his $500 deductible will be reimbursed, and he would receive $3,000 toward the principal of his new vehicle loan with Mountain America.

For this young family, a few thousand dollars was going to make a big difference.

Why he stays with Mountain America

As a member since 2014 (when he was still in high school), Madison appreciates how he is treated each time he walks into a Mountain America branch. Even though he lives in a small town, his experience definitely reflects that. They know his name and, as Tabitha exemplified, they remember details about his finances.

Madison explains that it’s that relationship, the feeling of knowing someone personally who can help, that keeps him banking at Mountain America. He feels his finances are in good hands when he can call Tabitha with any questions and get a timely answer. Madison says, The employees are “just a bunch of good people and they’ll do anything to help you.”

Life with Madison

When we asked Madison why his work with the Kane County search and rescue team is so important to him, he cited how rewarding it is to support his community and help people during their time of need.

“It’s been a blessing,” he explains. He mentions that it can be hard sometimes, especially when a rescue becomes a recovery. “When I’m having a particularly difficult time, my parents always remind me it’s the last good thing we can do for a family in that situation.”

When Madison isn’t volunteering, he’s working his regular nine-to-five as an inspector for an engineering company. He was born and raised in Kanab and loves that his kids are getting that same experience—playing in the dirt, fishing, hunting, camping and looking forward to Friday night football.

Madison, we couldn’t be happier that you and your family are safe and sound—and you have a beautiful VW Atlas to drive around town! Thank you for being a leader in your community and bringing your best every day.