Awesome - Pizza Hut Employee Spots Hidden 'Message' In Customer's Order That Has Her Calling The Police
As orders poured in, workers at the Florida Pizza Hut worked like drones to kneed dough, spread sauce, and drizzle toppings on top of their tasty creations. They were so enveloped in the mindless meditation of pizza making that they almost didn't spot a peculiar detail in an order flashing on their computer system: a message that sent workers scrambling to the authorities.
The Order
Pizza makers first saw a normal request appear in the system: one large pepperoni pizza with garlic sauce for dunking. But then they checked the special request section of the order and stopped dead in their tracks. Was this a bad prank? It couldn't be. The order had come from a regular customer after all. Her name was Cheryl Treadway.
Proud Florida Mom
Cheryl Treadway couldn't have been happier with the life she carved out for herself. The 25-year-old mother of three lived with her boyfriend Ethan Nickerson in Florida, where the family enjoyed life under the warm sun nearly all year-round. Cheryl loved Ethan, but it was her kids who truly kept her going.
Three Beautiful Boys
Any parent would be proud to raise three beautiful sons like these. They were well-behaved and absolutely adored Cheryl. While they also loved their father, Ethan sadly struggled with drug addiction, which caused occasional outbursts and dangerously irrational behavior. Cheryl was always fearful that, at some point, the kids would find themselves stuck in the middle of a violent incident — and that's what happened.
A Struggling Addict
Cheryl knew Ethan loved his children more than anything, but he was in the throes of drug addiction, and the substances completely took his ability to process reality in a calm and rational way. One spring afternoon, Cheryl and Ethan got into a particularly heated argument while Ethan was under the influence.
A Life-Threatening Situation
The children were at school at the time the heated incident started unfolding, much to the relief of Cheryl. As the argument grew more intense, Ethan snatched Cheryl's phone out of her hand. His eyes were filled with inebriated rage, and Cheryl feared for her safety. Then, he grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Cheryl now knew the situation was life-threatening, and she needed to find a way out.
Picking Up The Kids
Even though Cheryl felt some relief that her children weren't there to see their father brandishing a knife at their mom, the school day was ending and she was going to have to scoop them up to bring them home. Ethan, knowing full-well if he let her take the drive alone she'd seek help, hopped in the car with her.
Worst Ride Ever
The car ride was the most awkwardly uncomfortable trip of Cheryl's life. She stared out at the road in a daze while Ethan sat next to her, glaring violently at her face. She wanted to cry out to passing cars but knew Ethan was ready to lash out at a moment's notice. The couple arrived to the school, picked up the kids, and returned home. The kids had no idea what was unfolding, but Cheryl soon started plotting the escape.
Plotting The Escape
To start, she worked with what she knew: Her kids were hungry after a full day at school, so she saw this as an opportunity to reach out to someone outside of her home. There was one food in particular both she and Ethan knew the kids loved, so she decided that would be the focal point of her plan.
Opting For The Hut
The couple's kids, like most children, loved pizza, and their favorite spot to grab a pie was Pizza Hut. They were regular customers, so Ethan didn't find it odd when Cheryl suggested they fire up the Pizza Hut app and order their usual meal. Ethan, however, kept a close watch on Cheryl as she ordered the food, ensuring she didn't pull a fast one and call somebody for help.
The Long Wait Begins
Cheryl finished punching in her order on the phone. The kids still were completely oblivious to the tension in the house, but Cheryl knew at any moment Ethan could easily change that with the flash of a knife. The mother anxiously waited for the restaurant to receive her order and send a delivery driver to the house.
A Strange Order
The Pizza Hut location the family always ordered from was one of the busiest restaurants in town, but because Cheryl got it so frequently, the workers all recognized her name when it came in, and they knew to put extra attention into ensuring her pizza was perfect. However, the place came to a sudden halt when they noticed something alarming on the order ticket.
An Alarming Message
Every ticket had an area where customers could write in messages in case they wanted their orders tailored to certain specifications. Employees were used to requests such as "extra pepperoni please" or "pizza well done." However, on Cheryl's ticket was written, "Please help. Get 911 to me. 911hostage help." This was something workers could not ignore.
Alerting The Police
Cindy Hamilton, a branch manager with 28 years of Pizza Hut experience under her belt, didn't hesitate at all when shown the ticket. She knew Cheryl well, and this was no prank. Immediately after seeing the message she phoned the authorities and gave them the address. Hamilton could only hope she rang them before something horrific happened.
Waiting A Lifetime
Cheryl's anxiety was through the roof. Would the Pizza Hut employees even pay attention to the words she wrote? Would they think it was a joke if they did? It seemed like a lifetime went by as she and Ethan sat in silence, but suddenly, a horde of police vehicles pulled up out front! Ethan, however, didn't see them yet, and Cheryl knew if he realized what was happening he might physically hurt any one of them.
Meticulous Planning Required
The police, having no idea what kind of situation they were walking into, couldn't just barge into the home with their guns blazing. But, they knew there was the possibility of kids involved based on what the Pizza Hut manager told them about the family, so their tactics required extreme precision. Suddenly, Cheryl burst out of the home in a frenzy.
Fleeing The Home
Cheryl flung open the front door of her home and sprinted towards the police cruisers with her youngest child in her arms! In her frenetic state she figured the youngest of her sons was the most helpless, and since she could only take one with her, she grabbed him and fled to the officers.
No Time To Waste
The first officer Cheryl reached was Lt. Ludden, and he immediately knew by her demeanor that the situation the unit was about to enter was dire. He did his best to calm the mother and ask for details. Once he learned there were still two children inside along with an armed man on drugs, he took immediate action. There was absolutely no time to spare.
Talking Down Ethan
Fortunately, Lt. Ludden had been in similar situations many times throughout his career. He knew how to deal with a situation that required a meticulous conversation to de-escalate a potentially lethal outcome. Cheryl stood by with a horrified look on her face as police spoke with Ethan. Then, 20 minutes later, a miracle happened.
Best Possible Outcome
Ethan not only put down the knife he was swinging around recklessly, but he actually walked out to the police units and gave himself up. It was the best possible ending the police hoped for. Cheryl and her kids, although quite shaken by everything, were finally safe. The incredible series of events was soon picked up by the news.
An Ingenious Decision
No one could ignore such an incredible story! The fact that Cheryl had the wherewithal to use a Pizza Hut app to call for help was ingenious, and let's be honest, everyone loves when a bad guy gets busted. Ethan's face was plastered all over the news, and Cindy Hamilton of Pizza Hut was recognized for her quick thinking.
Aucun commentaire: