John and Stella Chhan arrived here from Cambodia in 1979.
John lost most of his family to the Khmer Rouge...his wife lost everyone to the killing fields that swept their homeland until 1979. Her family, friends, entire school.
Only she and one of her sisters made it out.
They settled in the Southern California coastal town of Seal Beach and opened up a little donut shop, Donut City.
For thirty years they have been serving fresh donuts to the community together. "It's a lot of fun, we work together, we stay together," says John.
They hosted sewing circles, scouting troups, book clubs for decades.
In October of 2018, customers noticed that Stella wasn’t around.
She suffered a brain aneurysm and was placed in a nursing facility. Not being wealthy, John had to stay at the shop from 4am to late in the afternoon.
They had to pay the bills, now piling up with his wife’s infirmity.
Dawn Caviola, a regular customer for over a decade, asked John about Stella.
“I went home and I just couldn’t get it out of my head. They are just such hardworking people. Always smiling.”
So she took to the internet and started talking to her neighbors.
And in just days…..the town erupted in support and a plan.
‘Let’s buy out the entire inventory every morning before dawn so John can be at his wife’s side.’
And indeed that’s just what they’re doing.
Hospitals, fire and police stations, schools, small businesses, local families and individuals and those driving in from far away.
"Every Sunday for 20 years, we've been purchasing donuts," said Jenee Rogers. "It's one of the few things that's still here. He makes them fresh and brings them right there in the mornings. It's a real American dream for them."
“The sooner we can get him home and get support for her, the better for both of them and the community," said customer Charlie Dickinson.
"I used to get dropped off here before elementary school and grab some donuts and walk to school," said Mitch Baker. "This guy is a complete gem. Always a smile and always dropping free donut holes in the bag."
13 year-old Style Turk had a donut in one hand and a skateboard in another.
“It’s cool that they’re so popular in our neighborhood. I like growing up in a place that’s so friendly and yeah, it’s not the same without Stella here.”
Tom McGillen asked John a question that he is asked dozens of times a day.
“I know you’re tired of hearing this, but how’s your wife doing? I hope she knows we’re rooting for her.”
Stella is in rehab, still at the nursing home. She has regained the ability to speak, and recently regained movement in her face and is also relearning how to eat.
With a sad smile, John said "My heart hurts. So nice of you. She is getting better. And we are grateful.”
And he put his hand on his heart and repeated, “We are so grateful.”
Said a local, Ken McGillen, who came here as a young boy with his family and now brings his son, “We’re not doing much. But little acts matter. With all that’s going on in the world, it’s special to see a community rise up and help a fellow man.
I think people need to know this because you have to have a counter to shootings and fires and tragedies.”
Indeed we do.