A Dedicated Pizza Shop Employee Drove 225 Miles To Deliver Pie To A Dying Man

Not all pizza deliveries are created equal.

When Julie Morgan and her husband Rich lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, 25 years ago, they frequented a place called Steve’s Pizza. The couple now lives in Indiana, but they were hoping to make a visit to Steve’s for Julie’s birthday.

“We talked about seeing the leaves and the lakeshore, but that was secondary to our planned visit to Steve’s,” Julie wrote in a Facebook post.

But Rich, who had been battling cancer, was hospitalized that weekend and was told by doctors he did not have much time left, so they canceled the trip. And this is where the story took an interesting turn, according to Julie’s post, which started with, “Sometimes a slice of pizza is more than it appears to be!”

“Unbeknownst to us, my dad contacted Steve’s Pizza and spoke to Dalton, a manager there,” Julie wrote. “He told Dalton a little bit about our situation and asked if the shop might send a friendly text or card to us. Without hesitation Dalton asked what kind of pizza we wanted, and told my father he would bring it to us.”

The Dalton he had spoken to was Dalton Shaffer, the 18-year-old grandson of the pizza place’s namesake Steve. Steve’s Pizza doesn’t even deliver, but Shaffer got in his car and drove 225 miles, arriving at the Morgan’s house at 2:30 a.m. He dropped off two pepperoni and mushroom pizzas and turned right around and headed back home without accepting payment.

“I am beyond overwhelmed and humbled by this act of genuine kindness,” Julie wrote. “Dalton brought our family so much joy – and the best pizza in the world – at a really difficult time. While thank you hardly seems adequate – from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Dalton from Steve’s Pizza in Battle Creek, MI for making your epic middle of the night pizza delivery!”

Shaffer told CNN he was just happy he could do something for the family and hoped it would inspire others.

“I have already gotten a ton of phone calls from people saying they were inspired in the future to help other people and to be able to do things like that. To me, that right there is what I want,” Shaffer told CNN.

Sadly, Rich died on Oct. 20. But thanks to the kindness of a stranger, he got one last slice of his favorite pie with his wife.

Back in Battle Creek, Shaffer’s good deed has not gone unnoticed. The local paper, the Enquirer, reported that business has been booming at Steve’s Pizza since word about the special delivery got out. One customer told the reporter, “The whole family’s that way. They’ve got heart.”

[h/t Insider]