Brighten Your Day

When Police Couldn't Help His Grandma After The Hurricane, Papa John's Came To The Rescue

October 15, 2016

Meet Claire Olsen, a 87-year-old grandmother living in Palm Coast, Florida. During hurricane Matthew, her grandson, Eric Olsen, was unable to reach his beloved grandmother.

"Well, I talked to her on Friday morning, and she had just lost power, and she said, 'This is a nightmare' and then we didn't hear from her for two days." Eric Olsen said.

"I was calling the police department, I was calling the sheriff's department, and no one was answering, so I was really worried." Eric said. Then, he had an idea. Eric ordered a pizza from Papa John's and had the delivery man use his cell phone to speak to his grandmother.

"Police and fire couldn't do it, but Papa John's Pizza got there in 30 minutes and put the cellphone to her ear. So I just said, 'I'm going to order her a pizza, and if they can deliver it, then I know she's alive,'" Eric Olsen said.

Upon hearing his grandmother's voice when the pizza was delivered, Eric said he experienced "relief, absolute relief."

As to how the idea came to him, Eric noted, "I was just thinking, 'Who can go there right now? Who can I call in a city where I know no one? People are asking why I didn't call the police and ask them to do a wellness check, but I did. Trust me, Papa John's was a last resort."

The pizza deliveryman, Lance Tyler, noted that Claire Olsen was beaming upon speaking to her grandson.

"Her expression was just priceless." Tyler said.