In a story that fits right in with the spirit of the season, a Pennsylvania man who is currently battling cancer won free pizza for a year from a local pizzeria. That alone should be enough to make you smile, but the story doesn’t end there.
Josh Katrick, the contest winner, was diagnosed with colon cancer back in July. As he was leaving his chemo treatment center earlier this month, Katrick’s pocket buzzed with an email letting him know he won the free pizza contest being put on by Mario’s Pizza. Out of some 1,200 entries, a computer had randomly selected Katrick, as deserving a winner as any. However, the giving did not stop there.
Katrick told WFMZ-TV he was happy to win, but that his cancer fight had given him some additional perspective. So, instead of taking the pizza for himself and those close to him, Katrick decided he would rather see it go to those in even greater need than him.
“I’ve been getting so much from family, friends, people I don’t even know well, the last few months,” Josh says.
Getting so much love and support…I just wanted to give back to people that could use it more than I could.”
Katrick called the owners of the local establishment and wanted to know if he could pay his gift forward to the local Northampton food bank. Mario’s said yes, and matched Katrick’s generosity. Not only would they deliver the pizzas to the food bank per his wishes, they would still honor his original prize as well.
If that doesn’t get you into the holiday spirit, then I don’t know what to tell you.
[WFMZ]
