By admin
A dying man’s final request to thank the nurses caring for him was fulfilled on Easter Sunday after a local restaurant owner reopened his business on his day off to serve a meal to hospice staff.
Frank Ozimek, a 67-year-old cancer patient receiving care at Niagara Hospice, spent his final weeks asking his family for one last favor: to repay the nursing staff who had cared for him during his six-week stay.
His younger brother, Ken Ozimek, began calling local restaurants to arrange a meal, but most were closed for the holiday.
He eventually reached Tommy Milani, owner of Sub Delicious on Locust Street in Lockport, who agreed to help despite having plans for Easter and the restaurant being closed.
“I said, ‘Absolutely, whatever you need, Ken,’ ” Milani told WKBW, adding of the hospice nurses, “They do an amazing job there. They’re all saints.”
Milani reopened the restaurant—originally founded by his mother in 1970—and prepared pizzas for the entire nursing staff at Niagara Hospice.
“He was kind enough to push back Easter for him, put everything aside, open his restaurant, and make us food for the whole building down there,” Ken said.
The gesture fulfilled Frank Ozimek’s wish to show appreciation to the caregivers who had supported him in his final weeks.
Ken Ozimek said the act carried deep meaning for the family during a difficult time.
“To me, it means the world to see that kindness, that greatness spread,” he told WKBW. “And I hope when people see this story, they take it and say, ‘Why can’t we do this and spread joy and kindness to each other?’ ”
He also reflected on his brother’s personality, describing him as both imposing in appearance and generous in character.
Ken joked that Frank looked like “a big bad biker guy, someone out of ZZ Top, because of his beard,” but said he was the type of person who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need.
Frank Ozimek, a nature enthusiast who enjoyed fishing, yard work, and attending the Niagara Falls Blues Festival, is survived by three children and five grandchildren.
Family members said the Easter meal reflected the same generosity Ozimek showed throughout his life, while those involved described the moment as a simple but meaningful act of community kindness honoring a dying man’s final request.
