The Las Vegas shooting was yet another devastating event in our country, taking the lives of 58 people and wounding almost 500 others. It’s been heartbreaking to read and watch updates, but positive stories like this help give share a little light in the midst of darkness.
A Las Vegas food truck that once actually catered at the Route 91 Harvest Festival is giving back by serving free meals to those affected this tragedy! Christian Guzman, owner of Dragon Grille, has been taking his truck and team to different hospitals and hotels around Vegas since the shooting on Sunday, serving up delicious sliders and bulgogi to victims and families. “We just wanted to show the world it doesn’t matter how big the city is,” Christian said. “We still have small town mentality, and we can come together as a whole and help when help is needed.”
One of Christian’s friends who works at a non-profit reached out to him this week about catering to volunteers, offering to pay him. Christian agreed to help but didn’t take the money, simply doing this from the kindness of his heart, especially since he has history with the festival where the shooting took place. “I’ve been doing that event for the past three years. It just happened this year they didn’t call me to do it,” he admitted. “That kind of pushed me to wake up, knowing I could have been there.”
But Christian didn’t stop there. He called up a bunch of other food trucks around, including 50 Shades of Green, Cousins Maine Lobster, Pablo’s Kitchen, Stripchezze and Blitz Boba, asking if they would help serve as well. The owners and workers were happy to help, and some other trucks even stepped up after seeing others giving up their time and energy.
Throughout this week, Christian guessed that he and his team have served up about 500 meals a day, serving volunteers, victims, and families that need some good after experiencing so much hurt and loss. The food truck owner, though shaken up by the shooting, will get Dragon Grille back up and running very soon. “We’re still in shock. We’re still trying to wrap our head around everything that’s going on,” he shared. “But [large events are] basically our bread and butter. We can’t be afraid all the time.”
It’s awesome that, even in this time of sorrow and confusion, that the city of Vegas and others across the country and the world are all coming together to help uplift those struggling. Christian and all of these other food truck teams putting aside their time and money to do this is definitely no small thing! It’s really moving that they would all help out in this amazing way.
My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and families affected by this terrible tragedy.
Imperfectly B 