Seal Beach Helps Doughnut Shopkeeper Get Home To Sick Wife

SEAL BEACH, CA — People in the small Orange County community of Seal Beach are dunking their doughnuts in the milk of human kindness, helping a local shopkeeper sell out early every day so that he can get home to his ailing wife.

According to owner John Chhan, he and his wife, Stella, have gotten up early seven days a week and made the sweet pastries at Donut City for almost 30 years. The Cambodian couple open the shop at 4:30 a.m. and the doors stay open until they sell out of the muffins, cinnamon rolls, bagels and doughnuts.

Everything changed in late September when Stella suffered an aneurysm. Her recovery has been slow, but according to John, she is on the mend and he is grateful. She is in a nearby nursing facility and all he wants to do every day is to get home to help her rehabilitate.

Still, John has not asked for a handout. He preferred a leg up, instead.

When neighbors asked if he wanted to set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for his wife's care, John refused, according to the Orange County Register. He only wants to get to his wife, whom he calls his best friend.

Residents of Seal Beach have been happy to help.

"People come to buy a lot of doughnuts from us so that I can close early," he told ABC7 reporters.

Customers come and buy doughnuts by the dozen now, frequently taking him down to the last crumb by 10 a.m. and nothing pleases them more.

"I stopped by and he was all out of doughnuts, only had a few bagels," Matthew Johnson said over a community Facebook post. "I handed over a $20 and told him we were praying for him and his beautiful wife. I love Seal Beach!"

Residents continue to remind one another to stop by and get your doughnuts, keeping the love going far beyond what has become a global community love story.

When asked how it feels to have so much community support, John Chhan smiled, holding a hand over his heart.

"It feels warm," he told ABC7 reporters. "We are so appreciative."

Have you been by Donut City lately? If you stop by, share a picture and a smile with your Patch Editor.

Photo: courtesy Matt Johnson with permission