Wave of support comes to door of SW Kansas restaurant after teen’s request

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A wave of assist got here to the door of a southwest Kansas restaurant following a teen’s efforts to succeed in out for help.

Whereas it’s not distinctive for small companies to be dealing with challenges, a Meade teen determined to place out a request on-line to assist save his household’s enterprise, TJ’s Grill.

There are locations you’ll go at which you instantly really feel welcomed, even when you’ve by no means been there earlier than. For Jennifer Godfrey and her husband, Tom, household performs a big half in maintaining TJ’s Grill going and giving its prospects that particular feeling.

The restaurant on US-54 in Meade, has change into a part of the household over the last 12 months and a half. Due to that the house owners’ 15-year-old son, Chandler Hanks, needs to verify it doesn’t go.

Protecting TJ’s going hasn’t been straightforward.

“Actual wrestle and Tom and I are simply digging a deeper and deeper gap and we’re simply attempting to love do all the things we are able to,” Godfrey mentioned.

With the worth for meals going up and slower site visitors through the summer time months, Godfrey mentioned she advised workers this was a do or die time at TJ’s Grill.

“We’ve come all this manner thus far and I’d wish to maintain it going slightly extra,” Hanks mentioned.

In a easy put up on Reddit, he reached out.

“I’m solely 15 so the web is the one means I may help,” Hanks mentioned. “Please, when you can, please come eat.”

His dad and mom didn’t know concerning the on-line request. After they realized about their son’s effort, they had been moved.

“Like, we teared up about,” Godfrey mentioned. ‘That was the nicest factor ever, Chandler,’ and he’s like, ‘you noticed that?’” Like, he had no thought I might ever see that.”

Many are answering Hanks’ name, from throughout Kansas and past.

Hanks mentioned the response was “sudden.” Godfrey described it as “loopy.”

“And all of the optimistic feedback are so heartwarming,” she mentioned.

It’s the facility of household, they mentioned, that’s making this all of the extra particular.

“Been the most effective week we’ve had in a protracted, very long time and we’re very appreciative of everyone,” Godfrey advised Eyewitness Information on the restaurant Friday, July 29.

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