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You don’t need a bite from a radioactive spider, superhuman speed, strength, or the ability to fly to be a hero. True heroism is about putting others' needs ahead of your own and drawing on your own courage and strength, even when faced with danger or uncertainty.
Heroic acts come in many forms, whether it's paying for someone’s groceries when they’re short, lending a hand to a struggling new mother, fulfilling the final wish of someone terminally ill, or even leaving an extra generous tip for a service worker.
The ten pizza delivery drivers featured here had no idea what they would encounter during their deliveries. Instead of turning a blind eye or assuming they couldn’t help, they responded to the cries for assistance, saving the day—and in some cases, even lives—through their brave actions.
10. Anson Lemmer
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
On June 15, 2015, 19-year-old Anson Lemmer, a pizza delivery driver for Uncle Pizza in Denver, Colorado, set out on what should have been his final delivery of the day. However, what began as a routine pizza drop turned into an urgent medical situation, prompting Lemmer to spring into action.
Upon arriving at the location, Lemmer found a man on the ground, turning blue and in desperate need of help. Though several bystanders were present, none knew CPR. Fortunately, Lemmer had been trained in CPR as a pre-teen and immediately began performing it until emergency responders arrived. By the time they got there, the man had stabilized and was transported to the hospital, where he was later discharged. Although Lemmer doesn’t see himself as a “hero,” he was honored by The American Red Cross on July 17, 2015, with the Lifesaver Award.
9. Sofia Furtado
On February 11, 2022, Caryn Sullivan from West Island Fairhaven, Massachusetts, placed an order for pizza. As her husband was asleep, she decided to wait outside for the delivery. Unfortunately, her knee gave out, causing her to fall down a flight of stairs and injure her head on the way down.
When DoorDash driver Sophia Furtado arrived and found Sullivan bleeding and unresponsive, she didn’t hesitate. She immediately entered the house to alert Sullivan’s husband and call 911. With her previous EMT training, Furtado was able to follow the dispatcher’s instructions until paramedics arrived.
Doctors later said that if Furtado hadn’t shown up when she did and assisted with the emergency call, Sullivan likely wouldn’t have survived. As a result, the Fairhaven Police Department awarded Furtado a lifesaving medal, and DoorDash presented her with a $1,000 educational grant to support her dream of becoming an EMT.
8. Alou Bathily
In March 2019, 21-year-old Alou Bathily, originally from West Africa, had only been in the United States for two months. On March 29, while delivering pizza to a customer in New York, Bathily also found himself delivering an act of justice.
While on his way to make a delivery, Alou Bathily witnessed a police chase unfolding in Manhattan. The police were chasing a suspect who had previously harassed a woman and stolen her headphones. When the suspect, 17-year-old Lovell Ambrister, fled on foot, Bathily, refusing to let him escape, pursued the young man on his bicycle. He caught up to him and tackled him to the ground, then said he “sat on him for good measure” until the police arrived.
On April 23, 2019, the New York Police Department honored Bathily with an award, dubbing him a “local neighborhood superhero.” Not only had Bathily helped police capture the suspect, but he had also managed to deliver the customer’s pizza in under 30 minutes.
7. Nicholas Bostic
On the night of July 11, 2022, 25-year-old pizza delivery driver Nicholas Bostic from Lafayette, Indiana, saw a house consumed by flames. Without hesitation, he rushed into action. He managed to enter through an unlocked back door and immediately began calling out for anyone inside.
Inside, Bostic found four children upstairs. After ensuring their safety, he was informed that a six-year-old girl was still trapped in the burning house. Without a second thought, Bostic ran back into the flames to rescue her. However, the thick smoke made it impossible for him to find the way out, so he carried the child and leaped from the second-story window, landing on his side to shield her from injury during the fall.
Four of the children Bostic saved were part of the family living in the house, while one was a friend who was spending the night. The parents, David and Tiera Barrett, had gone out for a date night, and the fire was later determined to have started due to a bucket of ashes on the porch that hadn’t been completely extinguished.
Bostic suffered from severe smoke inhalation, deep cuts on his arms, and blisters on his hands, but he was released from the hospital a few days later. He was just relieved to know that all the children were safe. The Barretts are immensely grateful for his quick response and courageous actions, now considering him part of the family.
6. Gilad Zargari
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Gilad Zargari, a seventeen-year-old pizza delivery driver from Be’er Sheeva, Israel, found himself in an unexpected situation on February 5, 2022. Upon arriving for a delivery, he was greeted by a father in desperate need of assistance.
The father, Ran, explained that his young daughter was suffering from a febrile convulsion, a type of seizure triggered by dangerously high fevers. While they were waiting for an ambulance, Zargari’s previous training as a volunteer for Magen David Adom (MDA), which specializes in first aid and emergency care, proved to be invaluable.
Without hesitation, Zargari sprang into action. He called for a MICU (Mobile Intensive Care Unit), which is equipped for high-level medical care, and wrapped the little girl in a damp towel to help reduce her fever. By the time emergency medical personnel arrived, the child was stable. The parents were deeply grateful, later saying, “We received a pizza with a life-saving side order.”
5. Oregon Domino’s
Kirk Alexander, 48, from Salem, Oregon, had been a loyal Domino’s customer for over ten years, ordering pizza nearly every day. Little did he know, his frequent pizza orders would ultimately play a key role in saving his life.
After 11 days without a single order from Kirk Alexander, general manager Sarah Fuller grew concerned and instructed driver Tracey Hamblen to visit his home. Hamblen, who was familiar with Alexander’s health issues, noticed that while the lights and TV were on, Alexander didn’t respond to the doorbell or phone calls.
Hamblen returned to the Domino’s store, where he and Fuller decided to call 911. Emergency responders quickly arrived and discovered that Alexander, believed to have suffered a stroke, was in need of urgent care. Though specific details about his condition were not disclosed, the Domino’s staff did not stop caring after Alexander was hospitalized. They continued to visit him during his recovery.
4. Brad Lane
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
On March 28, 2011, at 3:00 am, Brad Lane, a pizza delivery driver at Toppers Pizza in Clifton, Ohio, received a phone call for a large order. Something felt off, so instead of hanging up after the order was placed, Lane kept listening. That’s when he overheard a plan to rob him during the delivery.
Lane, along with his manager, immediately contacted 911. With the help of the dispatchers and local police, they organized a sting operation. An undercover officer was sent to deliver the pizza in Lane’s place. The suspects proceeded with their plan, attempting to seize the pizzas and escape, but police had already surrounded the area. Officers arrested 19-year-old Kevon Whitfield and a 14-year-old accomplice, who had attempted to rob a Pizza Hut the previous night.
3. Joey Grundl
On September 27, 2018, Dean Hoffman barged into his ex-girlfriend’s home, where he physically assaulted and hogtied her, keeping her trapped. She feared for her life, believing she would die at his hands. However, Hoffman’s plan hit a snag when he ordered a pizza, which would be delivered by a sharp-eyed driver.
When Domino’s driver Joey Grundl arrived with the pizza, the woman discreetly alerted him to her injuries, mouthing the words “help me” and “call police.” Grundl managed to stay calm, hiding his awareness from Hoffman. Once in his car, he immediately called 911. Hoffman was arrested on multiple charges, including kidnapping, false imprisonment, strangulation, suffocation, felony intimidation, and burglary.
Grundl was recognized by Domino’s CEO and awarded the prestigious 'Above and Beyond the Call of Duty' award. On top of that, when Grundl was seen wearing a Taylor Swift sweatshirt during an interview, the word reached the pop star herself. Swift, impressed by his heroism, invited him to meet her backstage after her concert in Arlington, Texas.
2. Kaylene White
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
On the evening of August 31, 2016, when a pizza order was made incorrectly, Domino’s driver Kaylene White was dispatched to deliver the corrected pizza to the Northside Senior Apartments in Angleton, Texas. Little did she realize that she herself was about to become part of an unexpected delivery that evening.
Martha Norman, a resident at the complex, suffers from a skin condition that often leads her to scratch herself, occasionally causing bleeding. When she called her daughter, Cheryl Stahl, to report that she was bleeding, Stahl rushed to the complex to check on her mother. Upon arrival, Stahl was horrified to find both her mother and the apartment covered in blood. Unable to explain what had happened, Norman’s condition caused Stahl to panic, so much so that she couldn’t unlock her phone to make a call. Desperate, Stahl started screaming for help, and fortunately, White came running.
White, who had medical experience, quickly took charge of the situation. She grabbed towels and fashioned a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding on Norman’s legs. When paramedics arrived, they confirmed that had White not acted so quickly, the outcome could have been far worse for Norman.
In recognition of her heroic actions, one of the paramedics, Jason Albert, later visited White’s Domino’s store to inform her manager of what had transpired, ensuring that White wouldn't face any consequences for returning late from her delivery. Although White doesn’t see herself as a hero, both Norman and Stahl consider her to be a 'lifelong friend' and will never forget what she did for them.
1. Karen Vogt
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Karen Vogt was a well-loved pizza delivery driver at Mezzaluna Pizzeria in Ormond Beach, Florida. However, on August 4, 2016, when she went to deliver an order to a frequent elderly customer and received no response at the door or by phone, she immediately suspected something was wrong.
Upon hearing a noise she thought was a crash, Vogt decided to investigate further. She found a way to enter the house through a door near the garage and discovered that the elderly woman had fallen while trying to answer the door and was unable to rise. Vogt quickly contacted the pizzeria, which called for an ambulance while she stayed by the woman’s side.
The next day, the customer was back home, but Vogt still felt bad that the woman had missed her pizza. So, Vogt paid for another pizza and personally delivered it to her, ensuring she got the meal she’d missed.
