Local Pizza Shop Owner Delivers Food to Family in NICU

When the Flores family found themselves in an emergency at Rose Baby Medical Center in Denver, they knew they wouldn’t be leaving their baby’s bedside. 

Struck with anguish and concern, the parents couldn’t leave the baby’s side during an operation.

Scrubs Magazine recently touched on the importance of self care while also being there for your baby in stressful situations. Giving birth can be one of the most beautiful experiences in a person’s life, but it can also be one of the most traumatic. According to NPR, every year more than 300,000 U.S. families have infants who require specialized care in the NICU. This can be a stressful time for the parents who usually want nothing more than to take their child home. The experience can also lead to exorbitant medical bills, trapping new families in debt. Even those who lose children in the NICU can get stuck with a bill for millions of dollars. This only compounds the grief of losing a child.

Carrie, a nurse from New Jersey, told us, “Make sure you ask for help if you need it. My twins were in the NICU for 25 days and I was overwhelmed. Make sure you rest, step out as much as you need, and take breaks.”

So when the Flores family needed to eat, they called in an order from a local pizzeria named Oblio’s in Park Hill. The owner, Drew Leach just happened to pick up the phone when Chris Flores called. 

“It just felt like the right thing to do,” said Leach, who personally drove the pizza over to them, and walked the delivery right up to them in the medical center.

Chris took to Google to share his experience:

“Though I didn’t know it at the time; Drew the owner took my order and delivered it personally to the hospital for us!!! After we weren’t able to leave the side of our daughter he got out of his car and walked it all the way to the security desk on the 3rd floor. Pizza was amazing with the Customer Service to match!!! Will definitely be making this my new spot in Denver!”

Oblio’s is an Italian restaurant and pizzeria in the Park Hill area of Denver. It has been a nieghborhood icon for almost 30 years, and it was recently updated. Although it has a new look and fresh menu, the local charm is what makes this place so special.