Serving up support for Tricia McCullough
Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese employee Kevin Howard sets a to-go order on the counter Tuesday. Meltz dedicated 40% of its Tuesday profits to help 22-year-old nursing student Tricia McCullough and her family pay for medical bills following a Dec. 26 wreck that paralyzed her.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press
Kevin Dupont pours shiitake mushroom gravy on a sandwich in the Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese kitchen Tuesday. Meltz is donating 40% of Tuesday's profits to help Tricia McCullough and her family pay for medical bills after she was in a car wreck that paralyzed her Dec. 26.
McCullough
COEUR d’ALENE — Sandwich orders were plucked from the counter as fast as they appeared while Meltz Extreme Grilled Cheese patrons rallied for Tricia McCullough.
"We came here today to support Tricia with everything that's going on right now," family friend and co-worker Mando Cantarero said as he picked up sandwiches to go.
"This is great," he said. "The fact that they're here to help at such a time, it's amazing. It's great to have the community come together. It's such a tragedy, but it's great to see people together on the same team."
Meltz is donating 40% of its Tuesday profits to the McCullough family to support fundraising efforts as Tricia, 22, recovers from a devastating Dec. 26 wreck on Interstate 90 that left her paralyzed and in need of surgeries and rehabilitation.
Tricia's dad, David McCullough, said he was "super grateful" for the support.
"I don't really have the words for it. It's awesome," he said, his eyes glistening. "It's hard for me to ask for help. Usually I'm trying to help other people. But I can't do this one by myself."
Briana McCarthy, who co-owns Meltz with husband Joe, gave David a hug.
"Oh buddy," she said. "You got this. It's worth it in the long run."
Briana said she and Joe were contacted by a former employee who asked if Meltz could do anything to help.
"All of us love being of service," Briana said. "That's kind of the orientation and the spirit of our restaurant."
The McCullough family has to raise $350,000 to cover medical bills and expenses not covered by insurance.
Meltz will share its fundraising total with The Press this week.
"In this day and age, we want our employees to feel like they have meaning," Briana said. "Millennials want to come to work, even a fast casual restaurant, and feel like there's meaning behind what they do."
Even though they go to the same church, the McCarthys and McCulloughs had never met in person. Ironically, Briana is a nurse and Tricia is a nursing student. Tricia was preparing to graduate with a four-year degree from Carroll College in Helena this spring.
David said Tricia has been struggling with nausea.
"She got to sit up (on Monday) and took a shower," he said. "That was good."
He reported that as of Tuesday afternoon, about $198,000 had been donated through GoFundMe efforts.
On April 20, local country star Kelly Hughes will play at a spaghetti fundraiser at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds for Tricia, David said.
People can donate on gofundme.com or directly via Wells Fargo banks, identifying the funds for the Tricia McCullough Donation account.
