Many of us have daily routines that keep us going. For 78-year-old Charlie Hicks, that includes ordering food daily from the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida. He’s a familiar face and orders the exact same thing every day. For the past 10 years, Charlie’s ordered a cup of gumbo, light on the rice, twice a day every day.
But in September, something strange happened. Charlie stopped coming in to eat. Shrimp Basket chef Donell Stallworth noticed, and the elderly man’s absence concerned him. Hicks don’t miss no days,” Donell told CBS News.
“We open the doors up, Mr. Hicks is there to greet us.” Charlie Hicks’ Absence Scared Donell Stallworth Donell Stallworth doesn’t mess around when it comes to Charlie Hicks. After several days, he finally left during his shift to check on his friend. He banged on the door repeatedly, fearing the worst.
“And right when I was going to turn, I heard something, a voice, just like, ‘Help,'” Donell said. “And then I opened the door up. He was laying on the ground, and I didn’t know what his condition was, that was the scariest part right there.” Charlie had two broken ribs and was severely dehydrated.
While he recooperated at the hospital, his friends from the Shrimp Basket brought him his belovd gumbop. But that wasn’t all. They helped Charlie Hicks move into a new apartment right next to the restaurant so they can keep a watchful eye on their friend. “I’m glad to have you back buddy,” Donell told Charlie when he returned for his first cup of gumbo in person after months away.
“He’s that uncle,” Donell added. “He’s that grandfather. He’s that best friend. He’s all in one.” Viewers loved seeing Donell Stallwart and the Shrimp Basket staff take care of Charlie Hicks.
“Wow—going the extra mile—checking up on him, THEN getting him the apartment and appliances!! Thank you for your kind acts and generosity and setting the example for us all!!” A fan shared. We love this story and seeing Donell and Charlie back together. How lucky they are to have each other.
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