Kirk Alexander really loved pizza. Just ask the staff at the Domino’s Pizza in Salem, Oregon. Every day for the past 10 years, Alexander had ordered a pizza to be delivered to his home. In the process, he became really close to the staff, as he was one of their most faithful clients. But one day, they realized that something was off, which forced them to do some investigating. And what they found was startling, to say the least.
He Loved his Domino’s Pizza
Kirk Alexander was 48 years old and lived on his own in the beautiful city of Salem, Oregon. But while he led a private life in his secluded home, he had one thing in common with a lot of people—he was in a deeply committed relationship with pizza. But it couldn’t be any pizza.
It had to be Domino’s. But did he ever get tired of it?
Pizza Was His Only Dinner
Believe it or not, Alexander had ordered pizza for dinner from the same Domino’s branch for the last ten years. And there was nothing that could indicate that he was ever going to switch to Chinese or Thai food anytime soon, at least that’s what the Domino’s staff assumed, but they were wrong.
His Orders Were Like Clock
His local Domino’s Pizza branch had come to expect an order from him between 11 p.m. and midnight. And he didn’t have to wait long for his order since his home was only a six-minute drive from Silverton Road where the restaurant was located.
The staff looked forward to his order, too, since Alexander was a cherished customer.
His Order Popped Up All the Time
Domino’s general manager, Sarah Fuller, said, “He orders every day, every other day. His order pops up on the screen because he orders online.” Fuller and her staff even had a name for his unusual routine, “So we see it come across the screen and we’re like, ‘Oh, Kirk’s order.’” But they never imagined that one day, seemingly out of the blue, Alexander wouldn’t order his beloved pizza.
It Had Become Second Nature
The staff at Domino’s were so used to seeing “Kirk’s order” pop up, that they pretty much expected it week after week. And like most routines, they’d gotten used to delivering the pizzas to his home. But one night, something changed.
At first, they couldn’t figure out what it was and then it dawned on them. Something was missing from their daily routine.
The Orders Suddenly Stopped
They were so used to Alexander’s daily request, that the staff at Domino’s were a bit confused when one day out of the blue, he simply stopped ordering. Had he finally gotten tired of pizza or was he cheating on them with another pizza parlor like Pizza Hut?
There Was No Word From Him
Two weeks had passed in April 2016, and Alexander had not been heard of. Even the delivery drivers thought this was a bit strange and brought it to Fuller’s attention. This was not like him at all, and yet he had ghosted Domino’s for 11 days.
So, they started speculating.
The Staff Made Assumptions
The staff at Domino’s couldn’t help but discuss it among themselves and came up with different reasons why Alexander could’ve stopped ordering. The most logical conclusion was that perhaps, the man was out of town on a business trip or on vacation. This was the only thing that could explain why he had stopped ordering so suddenly, but unfortunately, they were very wrong.
Had They Made a Mistake?
It’s Domino’s policy to treat their customers with respect, but Fuller had to consider the possibility that someone in her staff could have done something that might have rubbed him the wrong way and pushed him away, quite possibly forever. But her employees had another theory.
Perhaps He Was Dieting
It wasn’t uncommon for people to adopt a healthier lifestyle at some point in their life. Unfortunately, dieting and exercising didn’t really include eating pizza for dinner every night. Was pizza his kryptonite? Was he staying away to avoid cheating on his diet? Then Fuller remembered a major detail in Alexander’s ordering routine.
He Didn’t Just Order Pizza
During an interview, Fuller explained, “Kirk is a very well-known customer, but he doesn’t have a regular order. He’ll order anything from pasta or pizza to sandwiches or wings. It’s never the same thing every time.” So, something else must have driven him away.
But what could it have been and was it too late to get him back?
She Knew Three Things About Him
Fuller knew very little about Alexander except for three things; he worked from home, rarely left his home, and had suffered from an undisclosed health problem before. So, she was really considering checking up on him. But what right did she have? She wasn’t his friend or family member, after all.
But they did have a history!
She Wasn’t a Manager When She Met Him
Fuller was a delivery driver when she had met Alexander in 2009. And she had driven to his home plenty of times to deliver pizza in the past. It’s how she got to know the man a little better.
Fuller knew that he was somewhat of a recluse. But it was his past health issues that had her worried.
They Decided to Take Action
Finally, Fuller and the staff decided that someone needed to check up on him. This wasn’t part of their job description, of course, but they didn’t care. Their instincts were telling them that something was wrong and they didn’t want to waste another minute second guessing themselves.
But who were they going to send?
A Delivery Driver Went to Check on Him
On May 8, 2016, at around 1 a.m., Fuller sent Tracey Hamblen, who was her longtime delivery driver, to Alexander’s home. Hamblen walked up to the door like they had done many times before and knocked a few times. But something strange was going on inside the house.
There Were Signs of Life at Home
Hamblen noticed that his lights were on, and so was his TV. But there was no sign of Alexander or any indication that he was about to answer the door. So, Hamblen tried calling him but the call went to voicemail.
At that point, there was only one other thing he could do.
They Called the Authorities
Hamblen drove back to the restaurant to tell Fuller what he had observed. And as soon as she got the update from her driver, she called authorities on the non-emergency line, while Hamblen called 911. But did the cops really pay him or her any attention, or did they think that this was some sort of prank?
Hamblen Told Cops It Could Be an Emergency
Once someone picked up, Hamblen started explaining. “Well, I need some help on what to do, it could be an emergency. This is Domino’s Pizza and we have a customer that usually orders like every night from us.
And he hasn’t ordered in 11 days.” The call had caught cops off guard.
Cops Were Confused by Employees’ Concern
Cops were a bit dumbfounded to see a group of employees at a popular food chain like Domino’s so worried about one customer simply because he hadn’t ordered in a few days. But the Marion County Sheriff’s office took down all of the important information and sent someone to check things out, and it’s a good thing they did.
Cops Heard Something Alarming
When the deputies arrived at Alexander’s home, they heard the same thing that Hamblen had heard which was the TV playing. The lights were still on. But then they heard something.
It was difficult to understand at first, but there was definitely someone inside the house.
They Heard Strange Muffled Sounds
They knocked on the door again and again and called out Alexander’s name. Then they listened very closely for signs of life. And once again they heard that odd, muffled sound coming from inside the house.
That’s when they realized that it was a man crying out for help. There was no time to waste, so they jumped into action.
They Broke the Door Down
Those odd sounds were pleas for help but they didn’t know if it was coming from Alexander himself or someone else. Still, they were determined to find out. So, they broke the front door down.
And much to their horror, they found Alexander on the floor in need of medical attention. But were they too late to help him?
He Was Rushed to the Hospital
Alexander was immediately taken to Salem Hospital where the doctors started conducting tests on him. They didn’t know what he had but they were determined to find out. Eventually, they listed him in stable condition.
But he wasn’t out of the woods yet. They had to make sure he didn’t have another setback.
His Situation Could Have Been Worse
Cops could have stormed into Alexander’s house and found him lifeless on the floor. But that wasn’t the case. And yet, if they had gotten there a day later, he might not have lived long enough to where doctors could make a difference.
Of course, Fuller doesn’t think her actions and those of her staff were a big deal, but Alexander begs to differ.
They Visited Him at the Hospital
A few weeks later, Fuller, Hamblen and a few other Domino’s employees went to pay Alexander a visit and they didn’t go empty handed either. They came with flowers and cards, which made him smile when he saw them. He was truly grateful for their concern, but they claimed it was part of their job.
He Was Like a Part of Their Family
“[Alexander is] just an important customer that’s part of our family here at Domino’s,” Fuller told KOIN.com. “He orders all the time so we know him. I think we were just doing our job checking in on someone we know who orders a lot. We felt like we needed to do something.” But of course, the story didn’t end there.
Their Story Went Viral
Once their good deed went viral, Fuller and her co-workers were rewarded in ways they never would’ve expected. For starters, Fuller and her assistant manager, Jenny Seiber, were invited to talk about what happened on “Good Morning America.” They were also gifted with free tickets to “Captain America: Civil War.” But that’s not all.
They Embraced Their Rewards
Fuller, Seiber and Hamblen were also invited to a Domino’s corporate rally in Las Vegas. And to top it all off, they got to fly there for free. But of course, they didn’t do what they did to get rewarded.
They did it because it was the right thing to do. But there was still one thing that didn’t add up.
What Happened to Alexander?
While Fuller and Hamblen’s actions were heroic, there was still the mystery about what happened to Alexander in the first place. According to KOIN.com, paramedics believed that he may have suffered a stroke, but they had no idea how long he had been on the floor waiting for help.
Sheriff’s Office Was Grateful for Their Help
Meanwhile, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office thanked Hamblen publicly for finding Alexander at his home and calling for help when he did. His quick thinking and attention to detail literally made the difference between life and death. And although there’s no way to know what contributed to his condition, he wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for the employees at Domino’s.