Jimmy John's founder delivers a new car to the Nebraska driver who took his vet to the hospital | Live well in Nebraska

The founder of Jimmy's restaurant chain John's delivered a small delivery of his own Saturday in Columbus, Nebraska.

Jimmy John Liautaud traveled to Nebraska to present a new Ford Escape to delivery man Zach Hillmer, who answered a roaming call at a Columbus Jimmy John store and took a sick resident and a veteran to a hospital local.

Hillmer said Liautaud called the store Friday morning and talked to him on the phone. During the conversation, Liautaud asked him how his delivery vehicle drove.

In fact, the 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier was loaned by Hillmer's parents. Hillmer said that he had recently hit a deer with him and that he had made repairs, but that he was not a car mechanic. He could not remember the mileage indicated, but estimated it to be over 160,000 km.

Liautaud told Hillmer that he was going to give him a new Ford Escape to thank him for his actions. On Saturday, the store's employees met while Liautaud presented the new vehicle. He had come from Chicago by plane to make the delivery.

The new Escape is black and carries Jimmy John's decals on the outside. Hillmer said it did not bother him at all. "He said I could take them off," Hillmer said, "but I'll probably leave them there."

Above all, he was overwhelmed by the gift. "I could not believe it," he said. "It was such a generous thing to do."

Liautaud said on Saturday that he was just reacting that way.

"He did a kind gesture of goodness, just like me," said Liautaud, founder of the chain in 1983. " It's about America, helping people and helping your teammates. "

The saga began last week when Lisa Nagengast called the Columbus restaurant by mistake. She had just returned to Florida after the release of her brother Greg Holeman of Columbus after surgery. But he had developed complications. In search of help, she thought she called a social worker.

Finally, Hillmer took Holeman and took him to an emergency room. At the latest news, Holeman was at home and was getting better.

Hillmer, 38, is also a veteran. He reported serving in the Navy from 2000 to 2004. Born and raised in Pierre, South Dakota, he settled in Clarks, Nebraska, about three months ago.

He said that he was happy to be able to help another veteran, even though he did not know Holeman's service until later. "It's really what I'm most proud of," said Hillmer, "that he was a veterinarian and that I could help him."

Now, he plans to return the Rider to his parents.

"He's getting closer to his last legs," he said. "So it could not come at a better time, it did its job for sure."

He plans to continue working at Jimmy John's for a while.

"It's a good job, and I like it," he said, before politely telling a reporter that he was due to leave soon and make his next delivery.