A Grateful Mom's Letter to Wendy's After Employees Came to the Aid of Her Daughter

Here is the full text of Elias’s letter, with paragraph marks added:

“Dear Wendy’s Corporate Office,

I rarely frequent any Fast Food Chains, but on occasion I allow my children to enjoy a treat. Tonight I encountered two outstanding human beings, employed by you at Store #3180/00003369. One of my children went on a Playdate, and I was in the mood for a little ride and a cup of coffee. I took my 2 year old son and my 14 year old daughter to get a little dinner treat, and my desired cup of coffee. That coffee is important to my story.

As I paid for my order, I was asked to please pull into a parking spot while my coffee brewed. I did so, as I was telling my children “The Nuggies are coming! Mommy is waiting for coffee!”. As I waited, I noticed my daughter, who is on the Autism Spectrum and has Epileptic Seizures, was now going into a seizure. I have NEVER been in a car when this occurred, and quickly LEAPED out of the car to perform my mentally rehearsed Plan. Moms ALWAYS have a mental Plan.

I was struggling to administer her medication and couldn’t reach my phone. I was squatting on the passenger side with my child convulsing and blue, hanging out of the car. I saw who I now know to be Delia Lavolpe, coming out of the restaurant with a gleaming smile and our bag/coffee in hand. Then she realized something was terribly wrong and began to run to us asking to call 911. She quickly gathered as much information as she could while using her drive-thru microphone to communicate into the restaurant. She then began to IMMEDIATELY assist me by giving my son his food and helping me keep my daughter, Hannah, from crashing onto the pavement head first. She is astoundingly nurturing and FAST ACTING, on the BALL.

As she was doing this I noticed another employee running out, whom I met as Joe. Joseph Zellerkraut also was a Hero to me. He was almost talking ME through it, assuring me of Police/Ambulance arrival times, and helped me hoist Hannah UP and back into the car alongside Delia. I noticed both Delia and Joe almost “tag teamed” me, essentially running back and forth into the Store, but always one of them was with me. I recall Delia saying several times she didn’t want to leave me until it was all over…see the nurturing? Like a mother. And she didn’t.

“This happened because God orchestrated the Events so that Hannah would be SAFE, and provided me two of the most wonderful Angels With Skin.”

Once the EMT and Police arrived, she tag teamed Joe and snuck in to come out with hot fresh food. I mean…seriously, what a GEM of a woman. I told those two Heros of the Day that I was not leaving without their information so I can call Corporate. Joe came out with neatly written information for me. The EMT left and I had managed to call Hannah’s Father so he could follow me home…and stood outside with that hot cup of coffee, a baby who was happily eating nuggets, and Hannah, now asleep, in the front seat. I stood there thinking about if Delia had given me a stale cup of coffee how this would have happened on Route 37 in traffic.

I wouldn’t have had help…but I wouldn’t have had THOSE TWO EMPLOYEES offering help, OUTSTANDING HELP, to a stranger. She asked me to pull into a spot. This didn’t happen in the Drive Thru. This happened because God orchestrated the Events so that Hannah would be SAFE, and provided me two of the most wonderful Angels With Skin.

I also would like to acknowledge August Carabellese and Julian Sciarriano, who I did not meet, but who have VALUABLE employees, and who obviously had a hand in authorizing Delia and Joe to remain outside with me that half hour. Obviously management was NOT jerky, and did NOT say, “Hey, she has an Ambulance! Get back to work!” So thank you for that Management Team.

Delia and Joe, THANK YOU is not enough. Somebody raised outstanding people, so I thank them also. When both of you are Parents one day you will understand my Gratitude in a whole new way. I REALLY hope you get more than a Hand Clap from Corporate. I feel you deserve something significant, and I hope you receive that. You represented your Company in the best possible light, and I will make sure all Social Media knows that Wendys’ at 446 Route 37 Toms River 08753 has done what very few young people would have done.

Thank you for that Freshly Brewed Hot Cup of Coffee. It was Delicious.

Sincerely,

Alison Elias

(PHOTO: Hannah, courtesy of Alison Elias)