LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The turnout was big.
A Louisville restaurant chain is giving back to Louisville Police Officer Nick Wilt, who was severely injured during the Old National Bank Shooting last month. Bearno’s Pizza donated 20% of all sales on Tuesday to Wilt’s recovery fund.
The staff at Bearno’s Dixey Highway location prepared for a busy day in support of Wilt, but it’s hard to predict that a single order would include 43 pizzas. That’s how many pies Meg Daunhauer ordered shortly after 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
Daunhauer is an employee of Byerly Ford dealership next door to the pizza place.
“As soon as we heard about it, we immediately knew. We order from Bearno’s all the time and as soon as we heard the proceeds were going to him, we knew we needed to get it for the whole store,” Daunhauer said.
Sandy Montgomery made a point to dine in after hearing about the fundraiser.
“This community is something else. They step up when it comes time to support people when they are in need,” Montgomery told Spectrum News 1.
Bearno’s in Shively opened at 11 a.m. and by noon, the staff had tickets for nearly 60 pizzas and sides. They were swamped.
“Most people, today especially, they kind of understand that we are overwhelmed. We’re going to be overwhelmed all day so most people understand and you just do the best you can and that’s all you can do. It’s all for a good cause,” owner Scott Hack said.
Hack says Bearno’s as a chain is quick to contribute to causes like this.
“Unfortunately, we have to do this more than we’d like to, but we try to take care of any officers who get killed in the line of duty or hurt,” Hack added.
As Robert Price ordered his pizza, he had this to say about Wilt: “And for him to be hurt the way he was, it’s tragic. I’ve never met him personally but obviously I think I can speak for Louisville in all of us want to do our best for him and his family and we are thrilled he is making progress and wish him the best and he’s certainly in our thoughts and prayers.”
It’s another way a city rallies behind a hero.