LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Lockport restaurant owner opened his doors on a holiday to fulfill a dying man's last wish to feed the hospice nurses who cared for him.
Ken Ozimek recently lost his older brother, Frank Ozimek, to cancer. Frank spent six weeks at Niagara Hospice in Lockport, where he bonded with the nursing staff. Before he died, he asked his brother to make sure the nurses were fed for Easter.
Ken called around to find a restaurant that could fulfill the request, but everywhere was closed for the holiday. He eventually reached out to Tommy Milani, the owner of Sub Delicious on Locust Street.
When Milani heard the request, he agreed to help.
WATCH: Lockport restaurant owner opens on Easter Sunday to fulfill dying man's wish
"I said absolutely, whatever you need, Ken," Milani said. "They do an amazing job there. They're all saints."
Milani put his own holiday plans on hold, opened the restaurant, and sent pizzas to the entire nursing staff at the hospice facility.
"He was kind enough to push back Easter to him, put everything aside, open his restaurant, and make us food for the whole building down there," Ozimek said.
Ozimek described his brother as someone who looked like a "big bad biker guy" straight out of the band ZZ Top, but who had a generous heart.
"But you could come up to him, say I'm cold, he'd take the shirt off his back and give it to them," Ken Ozimek said.
Ozimek said his family is incredibly grateful for the way Milani helped honor his brother's memory.
"To me, it means the world to see that kindness, that greatness spread," Ken Ozimek said. "And I hope when people see this story, they take it and say, why can't we do this, and spread joy and kindness to each other."
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