In couple’s time of need, Key Food delivered
Milford. Vincent and Nancy Palumbo didn’t want this act of kindness to go unnoticed.
Milford /
| 31 Dec 2024 | 08:10
Vincent Palumbo, Jessica Rosen, Jessie Johnson and Nancy Palumbo (
)
For Milford’s Vincent and Nancy Palumbo, health setbacks in September threatened to upend their lives. Before that could happen, however, three members of the community stepped in to help.
“This September we were in dire straits,” said Nancy, 74. “My husband, Vincent, fell off a ladder and broke his femur and a week later I suffered a massive heart attack, which kept me away from home for nearly a month. We had no one we could depend on to take care of us.”
Or so she thought.
Frequent shoppers at Key Food Marketplace in Milford, word of the Palumbo’s health woes made it to employees at the grocery store. Vincent, 65, fell Sept. 8. Nancy’s heart attack was Sept. 16.
“One day, Nancy told me she was going to be coming into Key Food alone for a while because Vincent fell off a ladder and shattered his hip,” said Jessica Rosen, 41, a store supervisor. “A few days later, Vincent called the store and said he shattered his hip and Nancy is in the hospital due to a heart attack and he didn’t know what to do. I told him we would take care of everything.”
And so, beginning in mid-September and continuing throughout the fall, Rosen and Jessie Johnson, who manages the deli department, brought meals to the Palumbo home and did what they could to assist with everyday tasks.
“We made sure to bring them food, walk the dogs, take care of the cats, that sort of thing,” said Johnson, 28. “We know them from the store and always enjoyed our conversations and we got to know them better throughout this. We have relationships with many of our customers and often know what they want before they tell us.”
One of the store’s owners, Junior Dabashi, said helping members of the community is important.
“Nancy and Vincent are loyal customers, and we have a relationship with them and many of our customers,” said Dabashi, 37. “We offered them whatever they needed. Jessica and Jessie were great. We get to know many of our regular customers, especially in the deli area.”
The Palumbos, now back on their feet, are grateful.