He had become concerned a day earlier after receiving a message from a friend warning him of the impending storm. Passengers in the van became agitated on Friday as the road was slippery and windy, he said.
Then, after hours of watching the weather worsen from the van window, they ended up stranded near the house in Campagna, Mr. Cui said.
Campagnas, well aware of the dangers posed by the storm, immediately invited the traveler inside, “Know, as a Buffalo man, this is another dimension, Darth Vader in the storm,” Mr. Campania said.
The visitors – seven women and three men – filled the three-bedroom house, sleeping on couches, sleeping bags, air mattresses and the family’s guest room. Other travelers included parents and their daughter, an Indiana college student and two college friends from Seoul. Three of them are fluent in English.
They exchanged stories all weekend, watched the Buffalo Bills beat the Chicago Bears on Christmas Eve, and shared delicious home-cooked Korean dishes prepared by guests, such as jeyuk bokkeum (a spicy stir-fried pork) and dakdori soup (a chicken stew) Garnish with fiery red peppers. To the surprise and delight of Korean guests, Mr. Both Campagna and his wife are fans of Korean food, and have all the necessary condiments on hand: mirin, soy sauce, Korean red pepper paste, sesame oil and chili flakes. There are also kimchi and rice cookers.