BARBERTON, Ohio — A home away from home is what General Manager Kerry Helms said Fa-Ray’s Family Restaurant in Barberton has become for so many people.
“It just feels like you’re at home,” said Helms. “The same faces every day, the same customers. We’ve had a lot of the same employees for a while.”
That’s why Helms knew something was off when she said one of the restaurant’s regular customers didn’t come in on June 3.
“I came in, and normally when I open the door, I see his truck. Well, that day, no. But then sometimes he’ll come in at 11 if he’s not here bright and early, so 8 o’clock, I just sent him a text, like ‘Hey, you feeling okay? I didn’t see ya,” said Helms.
Helms said she waited a bit before she tried calling and texting him again.
But she said he still wasn’t picking up, so she got concerned and decided to drive to his house where Karen Jennings, another manager at Fa-Ray’s, met her.
“You can tell if something is off and when they don’t come in, you know something is off, so (we had) to check on him,” said Jennings.
Shortly after they arrived, the ladies called 911 to request a welfare check.
Helms said police then found him in the bedroom in need of medical attention.
“He had fallen, and he was in pretty bad shape and swollen. He had a brain bleed, broken ribs. I mean he was (in) very, very bad shape, so when we found him, we were kind of in a little bit of a mess just because seeing him like that and the unknown like was he going to be okay,” said Helms.
Thankfully, the 79-year-old man is alive. But he couldn’t join us on Wednesday because he’s still recovering at a rehab facility.
“I visited him today. Got him to walk a little bit. He looks amazing,” said Jennings. “Feels good to be able to save a life. Never saved a life before. I mean I would do it again. I mean you get attached to your customers.”
As their beloved customer continues to heal, the ladies said they’re glad they followed their gut feeling – something their customers and the city of Barberton are praising them for, too.
“I would’ve done it even not to be recognized. It was just the fact to be there for him or anybody else in that position I would’ve done it without recognition or anything like that,” said Helms.
