Business is booming for a pizzeria in Battle Creek, Michigan. And it’s all because of a kind and selfless gesture by 18-year-old Dalton Shaffer.
Shaffer is a manager at Steve’s Pizza, which is a takeout only pizza joint. They do not deliver. And yet, that’s exactly what Shaffer did. And he made a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Indianapolis to do it.
You’re probably wondering why he would do that.
That Special Pizza
Those who love pizza often have a favorite. And that’s true for Rich and Julie Morgan. They lived in Battle Creek for 2 years, but it was the pizza that they had fond memories of. Memories that had lasted more than a quarter of a century.
As Julie told the Battle Creek Enquirer,
“It’s just the best pizza, and we’ve never had anything as good. We’d try new pizza as a whole family and measure it against Steve’s.”
During the time the couple lived in Battle Creek money was tight, but there was one constant. Rich would bring home pizza from Steve’s every payday.
They were planning a trip back to the city—and to Steve’s Pizza—when the unthinkable happened.
A Battle Against Cancer Comes to an End
The trip and the pizza they had been so looking forward to having again would have to be canceled. Instead, a trip to the ICU brought bad news for Rich. His battle with cancer was lost, and he would have to be placed in hospice care.
They returned to Indianapolis so they could spend their remaining time with family.
It was while together that Julie’s father secretly placed a call. David Dalke knew what that pizza meant to them.
M Live reports he said,
“They would always say there’s no one that measures up to Steve’s Pizza.”
So he called the restaurant and explained the situation. And all he hoped for was that they might be willing to send a card or a text.
He got so much more.
Dalton Shaffer Answers the Phone
Dalke outlines his conversation with Shaffer.
“He said, ‘Well, what kind of pizza do they like?'”
Dalke, likely stunned by the question, remembers saying,
“Dalton, I want to make sure you know where I’m calling from.”
Shaffer confirmed that he understood the situation. He also promised to deliver the pizza himself after the shop closed, even though they didn’t deliver—not even locally. Even though he would have to cross state lines and make a 450-mile round trip.
“I just felt really sad for them,” the 18-year-old said.
So at closing time on a Saturday night, he cleaned up and got in his Honda Accord with two 16-inch pizzas with pepperoni and mushrooms.
It was 2:30 a.m. when he arrived at the Morgan home and according to Julie, he wouldn’t accept money for a hotel. He turned right around and began the drive back so he could get to work the next day.
A Good Deed Doesn’t go Unnoticed
Before leaving the house, family members came out to hug him and thank him. And Julie posted the story to her Facebook.
“I am beyond overwhelmed and humbled by this act of genuine kindness. 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!”
And for Shaffer? He’s surprised by all the attention because he didn’t do it for the attention. My guess is he did this for the simple reason he is a kind person.
His kindness is paying off. Business is booming at Steve’s Pizza. Old customers are coming in to show their support and new customers are arriving every day. And some of those customers are coming from out of state.
I think Dalke sums it up quite nicely.
“We need people like this in the world. We need other people to be this way.”
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