While pizza is without a doubt one of the most delicious dishes, most people eat only a few times a month. However, for one man, pizza was an essential part of his diet.
He ordered Domino's pizza every single day for lunch. But one day, he suddenly stopped calling. And the staff was shocked when they found out why.
Meet Kirk Alexander
Kirk was a 48-year-old single man from Salem, Oregon. He was living by himself in a small house near his local Domino's.
This pizza lover couldn't go a day without ordering a meal from Dominos. Throughout the years, he got acquainted with the store's delivery drivers and employees and got used to talking to them daily. But, one day, Kirk suddenly stopped contacting them.
He Went MIA
At first, the staff didn't think much of it and assumed he might have gone on a vacation. But after a few weeks passed, they started to get worried.
Dominos' general manager, Sarah Fuller, said Kirk was one of their most loyal customers. "His order pops up on the screen because he orders online," she said. So, what happened to him?
Back in 2009
Kirk and Sarah had known each other since 2009 when she started working at Domino's as a delivery driver.
He was a quiet guy who worked from home and rarely left his house. She also knew that he didn't have any family or friends, which worried her a lot.
Regular Customer
"So we see it come across the screen, and we're like, 'Oh, Kirk's order,'" Sarah recalls. He always ordered his meal at around 2 PM every day.
"Kirk is just an important customer that's part of our family here at Domino's," she continued.
No More Orders From Him
Assuming he was on vacation, the Domino's employees went on about their day as per usual. But after a few days, they started to get suspicious.
Where was Kirk? And why wasn't he placing any orders? Something wasn't adding up, and the Domino's team decided to reach out to him.
He Was Always Satisfied
"It was weird, and not like him at all," Sarah told As It Happens.
As far as she knew, Kirk was always satisfied with his order and often called the store to thank them for preparing such a delicious meal. So why would he suddenly stop reaching out?
It Felt Strange Not Talking To Him
Even the delivery drivers started to notice the lack of his orders. They had gotten used to talking to him, and driving to his house was a part of their daily routine.
Kirk was a friendly, polite guy, and they genuinely liked him as a person. So, what could've happened to him?
Informing The Manager
After a few weeks, the employees approached the general manager and informed her about the situation. Sarah was shocked to discover that Kirk hasn't ordered from them for almost two weeks.
Something wasn't right, and she was determined to get to the bottom of it.
Going The Extra Mile
Since Kirk was one of their most loyal customers, Sarah and the rest of the team always went the extra mile to make him smile.
Sometimes they added a free drink to his order. Other times they gave him coupons and discounts. They thought Kirk was satisfied with the service at Domino's. So why would he suddenly stop ordering from them?
He Disappeared
Some of the staff members considered Kirk a good friend and hung out with him outside of work. So, when he suddenly stopped contacting them, they took it personally.
Since Sara knew that Kirk usually didn't take long vacations, his lack of orders worried her. Did he simply get tired of the food at Domino's? Or was there another reason?
He Always Tried New Things
She didn't think that him getting sick of the food was likely, because Kirk never ordered the same thing twice.
"Kirk is a very well-known customer, but he doesn't have a regular order – he'll order anything from pasta or pizza to sandwiches or wings. It's never the same thing every time," she said. So, where was he then?
Everyone Was Worried
The staff members started to think something horrible could've happened to Kirk.
With everyone at the store worried for his well-being, Sarah decided to send one of the delivery drivers to check up on Kirk. And what he found inside his house shocked him to the core.
At Kirk's House
When the delivery driver approached Kirk's house, she noticed that the TV and the lights were on. Someone was definitely inside. But she wanted to make sure he was okay, so she rang the doorbell.
Kirk didn't answer the door. She rang the bell a few more times, hoping that Kirk would open the door, but he didn't. What was going on?
Something Was Very Wrong
The delivery driver tried calling and texting Kirk, yet he didn't answer the phone. She had a very bad feeling about this.
After returning to the store, Tracey filled in Sarah and the rest of the team on the situation. And together, they decided to call the police.
Calling For Help
“Well, I need some help on what to do, it could be an emergency,” Tracey told the dispatcher.
She then further explained, “This is Domino’s Pizza, and we have a customer that usually orders like every night from us. And he hasn’t ordered in 11 days.” Would the authorities take her seriously?
The Police Arrived
Luckily, the operator was understanding and promised Tracey to contact the police and inform them of the missing customer.
Soon, several officers arrived at Kirk's house to investigate the situation. They began calling his name and knocking on his door, but the man wasn't answering. What was going on?
Calling Out For Help
The authorities kept calling his name and as they looked through the windows, but they couldn't see anything.
Then, suddenly, they heard a weak voice calling out for help. Realizing Kirk needed assistance, the officers broke down the door and rushed inside.
Suffering From A Stroke
The officers found Kirk incapacitated on the floor. He looked very ill, but was fighting for his life.
The authorities immediately called for an ambulance, and Kirk was taken to a nearby hospital. The doctors confirmed that he had suffered from a stroke. Would he make a full recovery?
Suffering From Several Health Conditions
The sheriff’s office didn’t reveal what medical problems Kirk had, but according to them, he was suffering from several health issues that led to a stroke.
Kirk's family doctor wasn't aware of his health condition either, as he hadn't seen him in years.
At The Hospital
Since Kirk lived alone, no one knew exactly when he fell ill. The doctors feared his condition wouldn't improve and he would remain paralyzed.
Fortunately, Kirk started to feel better after a few days in the hospital. The Domino's team was thrilled to hear Kirk was feeling better.
Going Viral
“We’re like a family here, and we were glad we were able to do something to help. We hope he’s able to fully recover from this,” Sarah said.
This heartwarming story soon caught the attention of the media. People thanked the staff members for saving Kirk's life. But the Domino's team didn't think of themselves as heroes.
They Were Just Doing Their Job
Sarah went on to explain, “I think we were just doing our job checking in on someone we know who orders a lot. We felt like we needed to do something.”
Both Sarah and her assistant manager Jenny were invited for an interview at Good Morning America. During the interview, the management team shared some interesting facts about their loyal customer.
Visiting Him At The Hospital
The management team and employees have visited Kirk a few times at the hospital and confirmed he is feeling much better.
"He's doing good, and he answers yes and no questions right now. He said he's feeling better, and he smiles at us," Sarah said.
They Hope To See Him Again
When asked if she thinks Kirk will order a pizza from them again, Sarah said, "I don't know. I guess we'll see where it goes from here. I wasn't expecting any of this to happen, so I don't know what to expect."
Sarah and Jenny are hoping that Kirk will continue ordering from them again once he feels better. But the two women had no idea how this decision would change their lives.
Rewarded For Good Deeds
At the end of the interview, GMA anchor Robin Roberts thanked Jenny and Sarah once again for doing the right thing and saving Kirk's life. Had they not called the police that day, who knows what could've happened to him.
Had they not called the police that day, who knows what could've happened to him. But this wasn't all...
She Was Moved
Robin Roberts was moved by the team's actions and wanted to do something special for them.
They deserved to have a night out and spend some time together. So what did she have in mind?
Surprising The Team
Robin Roberts surprised the whole team with tickets to the new film Captain America: Civil War. And Sarah and Jenny received the news that they would be attending the annual Domino's Worldwide Rally.
As for their loyal customer, he is currently recovering from a stroke and can't stop thanking the kind team at Domino's for saving his life. The director of public relations at Domino's headquarters, Jenny Fouracre, was also moved by this incredible story.
She Feels Proud
"We are proud of our team members who took the initiative to reach out and help a regular customer who was in distress," she said.
'There are thousands of Domino's stores across the country, but every store is really a part of their neighborhood, delivering to people in their homes, which means we often get to know our customers well."
Wishing Him A Quick Recovery
She further explained, "We have many stories of how our stores have helped regular customers in ways that are big and small over the years, which is a level of customer service and commitment to our communities that we hope everyone will emulate."
"We're like a family here, and we were glad we were able to do something to help," she said. "We hope he's able to fully recover from this."