'I Feel Grateful': Wife Back Behind Counter Of Seal Beach Doughnut Shop At Center Of Social Media Buyout Campaign
SEAL BEACH (CBSLA) — It's a Christmas gift for customers to see Stella Chhan back behind the glass case at Donut City in Seal Beach.
Last year, the longtime doughnut shop's customers mounted a successful social media campaign to buy out the shop's inventory early every morning so the owner, John Chhan, could rush home and care for Stella, who had suffered an aneurysm that left her partially paralyzed.
"We tried to offer him money to help with the medical expenses with Stella, and he just wouldn't accept," Marc Lopes said.
Customers had offered to start a GoFundMe to help the Chhans, but John Chhan had declined – he simply wanted more time to spend with his wife, who had been helping him run Donut City for nearly 30 years. So instead of giving them money, customers spread the word as far as Japan. People began coming in to buy dozens of doughnuts at a time so John Chhan could close up shop as early as 7 a.m.
"I feel grateful. They give me a hug – I'm so happy," Stella Chhan said.
