A son who isn’t a chef did something great for his momma. He sold cheesesteaks to make his terminally ill mother’s dream come true. What mother wouldn’t be proud?
“What you won’t do, do for love,” Bobby Caldwell sang about. We perform amazing actions out of love, not just romantically, but for family members too. Dustin Vitale knows this firsthand.
His terminally ill mother Gloria was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Knowing that her time with him was going to be shorter than either expected, he did something amazing. Without any formal training, Dustin became his own sort of chef and started making and selling cheesesteaks.
His goal - take his mother to a place she had always wanted to go, the pyramids of Egypt. And in the end, he plans to do just that, while also bringing along their other 14 relatives for the trip.
Dustin’s cheesesteak sales he’s been whipping up in the kitchen are in addition to his full-time career. He normally serves his community as a middle-school teacher in Philadelphia. Dustin came up with the cheesesteak idea to be able to help with expenses and serve his mother well, too. What makes his feat more extraordinary is that he didn’t sell from a restaurant. Vitale’s Steaks happened in his own home, in his own kitchen.
Responding to the question of what pushed him forward, Dustin said, “Love for my mom.”
Dustin used his mother’s recipe to cook huge and delicious steak sandwiches. His initial customers were family and friends, driving over to his home to show support. However, that was short-lived as the list of clientele grew quickly. He wasn’t initially confident about being able to pay for his mother’s trip, but God clearly blessed this man at the same time he worked to bless others.
Within 6 weeks Dustin had more than enough money for the trip, thanks to the help of all his supporters, especially those who took to advertising for him on social media. Someone was kind enough to lend their food truck for the cause.
“Cleopatra never had it so good,” Gloria said.
Gloria’s trip with her son Dustin is set to happen later this year.
The details of this story already reveal Dustin to be a loving son. More amazing is that this son cooks for his mother every single morning, and offers her gratitude. Terminal bladder cancer may have marked a certain end for Gloria, but even with the days left in her life, her son Dustin reveals a love that is very much reminiscent of Jesus. Devoted. Kind. Unending.
May this story encourage us to also share love with those in our lives, terminally ill or not. Jesus has encouraged us to love, to forgive, and to share. So what’s stopping us from listening to Jesus today.
“And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:29-31)