People say big fast-food chains don’t care about their clients. But Kirk Alexander was not just any client... And his local Domino’s restaurant employed some of the most nurturing staff workers out there!
This is a story about love and caring. And about how even in big corporations such as Domino’s there are people prepared to do whatever it takes to help their clients. At the center of this unbelievable tale is Kirk Alexander, the man who loved Domino’s Pizza so much that he ordered food from the franchise every single day for almost a decade! To even call him a regular customer is an understatement. But even though Kirk’s 10-years loyalty to Domino’s was impressive, the dedication of the staff working at his favorite fast-food restaurant was about to make headlines in the national news.
Brace yourself for a surprising story involving good faith, friendly people, a fair share of chance, a lifechanging moment, and lots of pizza. If you already love Domino’s tasty recipes, this story will make you even more hungry for some delicious fast-food!
A Domino’s Kind of Guy
They say a man can change everything about himself, except for his favorite sports club. But in Kirk Alexander’s case, there was another thing he could have never changed: his love for Domino’s.
One thing is to be a pizza fan. In a way, we all are, because pizza is simply delicious. But that was not the whole truth in Kirk’s case. Head to toes, Kirk was a Domino’s fan like you’ve never seen before. For almost a decade, he ordered food from the restaurant every single day, to the point of becoming friends with the staff and known by everybody working at the local franchise. There was something about Domino’s that convinced Kirk to never switch to a different restaurant. He simply could not get enough of Domino’s food! Until one day, he finally stopped ordering...
Was Kirk finally getting over his Domino’s passion? Was he “cheating” on his favorite restaurant with a rival fast-food chain? Did he move to a different city where Domino’s was not available? As we’ll see, the reality is more complicated than we could’ve ever predicted.
Sounding the Alarm
It’s impossible to know every single customer of your restaurant. But Kirk Alexander is not your typical fast-food consumer. And when he stopped ordering, even the local Domino’s general manager became concerned.
General manager Sarah Fuller explained later that she was immediately worried when Kirk stopped ordering. Serving food to him was a tradition among the workers, who knew him by name and referred to his daily order as “Kirk’s order”. Kirk used to order online at least once every two days, which made him one of the most loyal Domino’s customers in the entire country. And when he stopped, the alarms sounded at the restaurant. The local Domino’s general manager wasn’t worried about the loss of profits. But she wondered about what could have caused Kirk’s sudden routine change.
Since the daily online order of Kirk no longer appeared on the Domino’s screen, Sarah Fuller and her staff realized immediately that something strange was happening. What could have caused this change in behavior? Had Domino’s simply lost its most dedicated client?
A Staff’s Hero
Sarah Fuller wasn’t the only person concerned about Kirk’s lack of orders. To the staff of the local Domino’s, the fast-food regular was a friendly and very popular figure.
At first, they were in denial. Could Kirk have simply decided to stop ordering forever? The staff thought it was just a phase. Maybe their favorite customer was simply taking some time out from pizza and focusing on a more healthy diet. But as the days passed, new theories were put in place. Maybe Kirk was out of town, enjoying a vacation? Perhaps he was visiting his family in another city? Maybe he had decided to move without telling anyone? At this point, everything was possible. Still, most of the local Domino’s workers were truly worried about the man they praised as more than just a client. In their minds, Kirk was a friend.
Eventually, uncertainty took the most out of the Domino’s workers, who’d go a long way to find out what happened to their favorite regular. But by now, they were being forced to ponder all the possibilities, including the daunting possibility that Kirk no longer enjoyed Domino’s food...
Was He Growing Tired of The Food?
People change every time. With that in mind, was it possible that Kirk was merely fed-up with eating Domino’s food every single day?
At a certain point, this idea popped-up in everybody’s mind. Sometimes, people simply decide to leave their old habits behind and focus on new routines. Maybe Kirk was trying to innovate, find a new favorite restaurant, explore other options in his life. It was a devastating idea, especially considering how much the staff loved the man. But to general manager Sarah Fuller and her workers, this seemed very implausible. When a man orders from your restaurant every other day for almost a decade, he doesn’t simply love your food... He’s “married” with it! And as day after day passed by, the Domino’s staff realized something had to be done!
Regular fast-food customers are rarely treated with the same love Kirk was getting from his beloved Domino’s workers. But let’s be real: one thing is to invest $5 every other week on a burger, and a completely different one is to spend ten years ordering steadily from the menu!
Is Kirk a Pizza Fanatic?
Right now, you’re likely wondering about what happened to Kirk. But there’s probably another big question on your mind: how is it possible for a man to eat pizza every day for ten years?
It’s a fair question. And to answer it, it’s essential to know Kirk wasn’t simply a fan of pizza. He was a true fan of Domino’s food, whether it was pizza or any other thing. Maybe he liked how comfortable it was to order from Domino’s, or perhaps he enjoyed the staff he knew so well. Either way, Kirk was so into Domino’s that he didn’t mind exploring every item on the menu. So yeah, even though he probably loves pizza, he was first and foremost a Domino’s fan. And little did he know how much of an impact his love for Domino’s would end up having...
A regular client without a regular type of order, Kirk loved everything at Domino’s, from the wings to the sandwiches. But could he have ever predicted that loving Domino’s so much would end up making such a big difference in his life?
Out For The Truth
The uncertainty surrounding Kirk was unbearable, so Sarah Fuller decided to take measures. In a bold move, she sent one of her delivery workers to Kirk’s home.
The right man for the job was Tracey Hamblen, the staff worker who knew Kirk better and who used to take him his food every other day. To him, the trip to Kirk’s house was unmistakable. When you spend close to a decade making the same trip every day, it gets a little bit like riding the car back home after the day is done. He planned to ring the bell and simply ask Kirk what happened. Hopefully, he wouldn’t mind the intrusion, given the fact he was such a friendly customer. But when Hamblem rang the bell, nobody came to the door...
Hamblen took some time off from his regular work chores to visit Kirk’s home and check on him. But little did he know that things were about to get weirder and that Hamblen himself would end up playing a significant role in this story.
Something Fishy is Going On...
When Hamblen rang the bell and knocked on the door, nobody answered. But soon enough, he heard a sound that convinced him something fishy was going on.
From the inside of the seemingly empty house, a couple of muffled voices could be distinguished... Hamblen listened closer and realized it was the TV! He also saw that the lights were on, so there was no chance Kirk had simply left on vacation or moved away. The plot was getting thicker, so Hamblen decided to try Kirk’s phone. He called, and nobody answered, but he was able to hear the cellphone ring coming from the inside of the house. At this moment, the situation was starting to get as clear as day: Kirk was not OK, and something had to be done immediately!
We’ve all seen enough crime series to know that a turned-on TV on a house where no one comes to the door is a blatant sign of murder... But real-life is different from fiction, so let’s not rush-in and expect the worst for Kirk right away...
Telling the Others
Tracey Hamblen rushed back to the local Domino’s to tell Sarah Fuller and the others about what happened. It was then they decided it was vital to do something.
Hamblen told his co-workers about what had happened. It all sounded very strange. Nobody leaves the house without turning the lights and the TV off. And, most importantly, nobody goes away and leaves his phone behind! It seems like Sarah Fuller was right to worry about her most loyal customer. The facts all seemed to point out to the same conclusion: Kirk was the victim of an accident and was probably still inside his house. Either that or he had disappeared without leaving any trace. And to make it worse, one of the Domino’s workers pointed out that Kirk’s health wasn’t always the best.
The staff of the local Domino’s was never so sure about something: it was terrible enough that Kirk suddenly stopped ordering food. But this was on a whole another level of strange. Something had to be done as soon as possible!
Checking the Records
With so much going on, and business as usual still running, the Domino’s workers decided to check how long it’d been since Kirk last ordered.
According to Sarah Fuller, Kirk’s latest order had been placed 11 days ago at this point. This was unprecedented! In almost ten years of a loyal service-customer relationship, Kirk had never spent nearly two weeks without buying any food! And it was clear that he wasn’t buying his food anywhere else. When someone pointed out that Kirk was fragile and had lots of health issues, concerns were raised at the local Domino’s. Was it possible that Kirk was no longer alive? Shook by this daunting possibility, the staff decided to call the authorities. Tracey Hamblen himself picked up the phone, and dialed 911.
A less responsible bunch of fast-food workers would possibly not worry this much about their clients, not even their favorite client! But Sarah Fuller’s team had fortunately decided to do whatever it takes to do right by their 10-years regular customer.
911, What’s Your Emergency?
At first, it’s possible that the local Sheriff wasn’t too worried about Kirk. But as soon as he learned about the details, he started to realize something strange was going on...
We don’t think that 911 has ever received a call like the one they received that day. When Hamblen called the emergency line to report that a client had stopped ordering food for 11 days, there’s a chance he was laughed at. But when he explained the details of his non-encounter with Kirk, authorities realized right away that this was a case for police action. The Sheriff got involved and rushed to Kirk’s house. The mystery was about to be solved, once and for all. The Sheriff was determined not to leave Kirk’s house until he had a chance to talk to the man himself... or find whatever was left of him.
By now, the brave workers of the local Domino’s had done all they could. This was now a police case for the Sheriff, and they could not wait to find out the truth about what happened to their most loyal client.
Police Gets On Location
With the emergency lights on, the local police rushed-in to Kirk’s house, determined to find out the whole truth once and for all.
On arrival, they started by knocking on the door and screaming Kirk’s name. Just like Hamblen, they found it extremely odd that the lights were turned on. The TV was also still running, which indicated nothing had changed since Hamblen first visited the house. With their senses on full alert, the police continued to call Kirk’s name from the outside. Then, a different kind of sound emerged from the inside. It didn’t seem like the TV... It sounded like someone crying for help! It was a muffled and almost indistinguishable sound, but the police identified it immediately. It was time to get inside!
This is the turning point in our story. We’re about to find out what happened to Kirk, Domino’s number 1 client. By the sound of it, he was alive. But what happened to him, and how was he going to make it after 11 days of desperate isolation?
Time to Get Inside!
The police are equipped to deal with life-and-death type of situations, and this one called for an immediate intervention!
With that in mind, the local officers decided not to wait any further. This was about saving a man’s life, which was way more important than finding a non-destructive way in. We couldn’t find a description of exactly how the police entered the house, but they likely used a battering ram like the one shown in the picture. Either that or they kicked the door heroically. Either way, a simple front door wasn’t going to get in the way of these brave policemen. And when they finally got in and saw Kirk, they didn’t hesitate: they called an ambulance immediately.
The bad news isn’t pretty: Kirk was not only left doorless, but he required immediate medical attention. The good news, on the other hand, probably overshadows the bad ones: Kirk was still alive, and he could even make it, thanks to the quick intervention of the police.
Taken to the Hospital
It was a busy afternoon on Kirk Alexander’s street. Minutes after the police arrived, the sirens of an ambulance could be heard rushing around the block.
The police found Kirk inside his house, painfully lying on the floor, crying desperately for help. He was in a pretty bad state, but he showed no signs of having been physically hurt. This was most likely a case of sudden disease and not a foul-play type of situation. The doctor’s diagnosis would later confirm this thesis. As for Kirk, he was immediately transported to the hospital; all the signs pointed out to the fact that his life could be holding by a thread. But since there were no witnesses, it was impossible to know right away what had happened to the 48-year-old man.
As Kirk was about to receive treatment at the hospital, the Sheriff called the concerned staff of the local Domino’s to inform them of the situation. Kirk’s survival was still uncertain at this moment, but the Domino’s manager and staff found comfort in knowing they’d done the right thing.
The Final Diagnosis
It’s not easy to save a man’s life. After the intervention from Domino’s, the arrival of the police, and the transportation to the hospital, Kirk’s future was now in the hands of the local doctors.
After examining Kirk, the doctors conclude that he had been the victim of a stroke. Strokes can be life-threatening and are especially concerning when not taken care of immediately. So, were there any chances Kirk was going to make it? After all, he had spent a week or more without receiving any medical attention! He hadn’t even been able to feed himself, or do something as simple as getting up to turn the lights and the TV off! Things looked grim for our favorite Domino’s regular. But after what seemed like a neverending wait, the doctors finally announced that Kirk was going to live!
After hearing the good news, Sarah Fuller, Tracey Hamblen, and the rest of the staff couldn’t be any happier! But while the mystery of Kirk’s disappearance was finally over, our story is just getting started... Soon enough, our local Domino’s would make it to the national news!
Humble Heroes
From mouth-to-mouth, the tale of how Kirk Alexander’s life had been saved by a diligent Domino’s staff started spreading around town.
But to Sarah Fuller and her dedicated team, there was no point in calling them “heroes”. They believed they’d done nothing but their obligation. We should always look out for others in our society, especially if we’re the best they got. If it wasn’t for Hamblen and the rest of the staff, Kirk would probably still be lying down in his house, desperate for help, or even dead... But the local Domino’s workers weren’t looking for fame and compliments. They were just happy that their most dedicated client was fine. However, as we’ll see, it was already too late for this whole story to slide under the radar.
As the locals heard about this unbelievable story, it became more and more evident that it had the potential to make it to the national news. And soon enough, they would be proven right. There was no doubt this was a tale worthy of national interest!
A Feel-Good Headliner For the Major Press
Journalists are used to reporting tragedies, disgraceful events, and major mishaps. But sometimes, a feel-good story also finds its way to the national news.
Kirk’s unbelievable tale had already made it to some local networks when it came to the attention of the people at The Washington Post newspaper. They used a simple but quite illustrative headline: “how pizza helped save an Oregon man’s life” and published the news on their website. To be fair, it wasn’t pizza saving Kirk’s life. It was the staff of the local Domino’s, his favorite restaurant in the world. But we get it. After making it to The Post, our incredible tale would make its way to an even bigger stage: Good Morning America, a popular TV show watched by over 3 million people.
We’re not so sure if Kirk Alexander’s story would become so popular in the media if the police were too late to save him. But fortunately, the whole situation turned out to be an inspiring feel-good story, instead of one of tragedy.
A Live Interview for Sarah Fuller
The folks at Good Morning America couldn’t wait to get a better grasp of this inspiring story, and we’re pretty sure that the big boys at Domino’s didn’t mind it either.
That’s why, even though she didn’t want to be considered a hero, Sarah Fuller agreed to be interviewed live on the show. For the interview, she was accompanied by Jenny Seiber, Domino’s assistant manager. In a conversation with Good Morning America’s host Robin Roberts, the two women shared the entire story, from the moment they realized Kirk was no longer ordering food to the moment they knew he was going to make it. Robin could not believe how brave and dedicated the Oregon Domino’s workers were to their favorite client and complimented them on their actions. Then, she asked about how Kirk was doing at the moment.
If you’re wondering where Kirk has been during this whole media frenzy, the answer is quite simple: he was still in recovery. Also, judging by how much he loved to eat at his house, he’s most likely a private and shy fellow who’s not a big fan of being interviewed on national television!
How Kirk’s Been Doing
If you’re interested in knowing how Kirk’s been doing, you’ll probably feel a lot better by knowing that Domino’s number 1 client is currently in a stable condition.
Robin Roberts inquired Sarah Fuller about Kirk’s current status on her show, and she was glad to find out the man’s okay. But for a while, there was concern amongst the Domino’s workers that Kirk may never fully recover from the stroke. The Domino’s staff visited him on three different occasions, and the first two raised some concerns. Shook, Kirk was barely able to speak, was utterly confused, and probably in a state of shock. But on the third visit, the kind Domino’s staff finally found Kirk being himself once again. He was on his way to a complete, successful recovery!
Nothing makes us feel better than an inspiring story with a happy ending. We feared the worst for Kirk, the pizza lover, but we ended up finding out he was able to get back to his old life once again. But wait, because there’s more to this story!
Complimentary Tickets
If you know the way Good Morning America does things, you’ll probably not be shocked to find out they had a special gift in store for Sarah Fuller and the rest of her team.
As retribution for their bravery and concern for others, the Domino’s staff was gifted with complimentary tickets to the movie Captain America: Civil War. It may sound like a random gift, but there’s a beautiful reason behind it. As Robin Roberts explained, the Good Morning America staff decided to gift the Domino’s workers with these tickets because they thought of them as super-heroes! And what better treatment for a real-life super-hero than having a chance to watch one of Marvel’s favorite characters on the big screen? It was a small present for a bunch of people who had a significant impact on saving a man’s life.
This goes to show that you don’t need to wear a cape, own a magic shield, or call yourself “captain” to be a hero. All it takes is to watch out for others and to do whatever you can to ensure that the people around you are safe and being taken care of.
Everyone Played a Part
Since we’re talking about super-heroes, we also have to mention the quick response of the local policemen, as well as the paramedics and doctors.
But the Sheriff department wasn’t so keen about taking the credit they deserved. Instead, they decided to focus on another unnamed hero of this whole story: the Domino’s delivery man Tracey Hamblen. If it wasn’t for him, nobody would realize that the lights and the TV were on at Kirk’s house. The Sheriff department honored Hamblen’s bravery and example with a post on social media. They used Facebook to praise the man’s actions, naming him as the man responsible for saving Kirk Alexander’s life. They wrote that “thanks to the quick actions of Mr. Hamblen, Mr. Alexander is in stable condition at the Salem Hospital”.
Even though we get it that the policemen were simply doing their job, we think they also deserve some kudos for acting so quickly and for not ignoring the call from the Domino’s workers. After all, it was easy to dismiss it as something too odd to be dealt with.
So, What’s the Big Lesson Here?
It’s an inspiring story that makes us think about how significantly our actions can reflect on the life of others. But in the end, what’s the big lesson to take from this whole conundrum?
The obvious lesson is that we should pay more attention to the people around us. Our neighbors, clients, employees... They all play a big part in our world, whether we feel attached to them or not. But there’s a second lesson to take from this story: that if you overeat fast foods, you’ll be damaging your health! Kirk made it safe this time. But if he continues to order food from Domino’s every single day, he’s probably going to get himself into another stroke... Relax Kirk, we know you love Domino’s, but try to keep it under one order per week in the future!
We don’t know about you, but this whole story has made us hungry for some Domino’s pizza. Maybe we can get to know the staff and, one day, get our lives saved in the most unexpected of ways. It’s never a bad idea to make as many friends as possible, so please go out there and spread some love!