Eight-Year-Old Cancer Patient Fulfills Dream of Working at Taco Bell
Though society as we know it would essentially collapse without hard-working fast food employees, flipping burgers or assembling tacos for a chain restaurant isn’t usually described as anyone’s dream job.
But don’t tell that to eight-year-old brain cancer patient David Turner Jr. According to his mom, the young Louisville, Kentucky resident loves Taco Bell so much that he’d often ask her how old he’d have to be to work there.
“I told him 15. He told me, ‘That’s ridiculous because I could make tacos,’” mom Elizabeth told local news outlet WDRB. “And then he went on to explain a 10-year-old could make tacos and mind you, he is eight.”
Recently, the Turner family received the devastating news that David’s brain tumor, first spotted in 2018, is progressing. Burdened with the tragic possibility of David not making it to his 15th birthday, his mom contacted the owner of the local Taco Bell (the same location she once worked at in high school) to see if he could fulfill his dream of picking up a shift at Taco Bell.
It was an offer that owner Judd Wishnow graciously accepted.
“I was shocked that that was his dream, but I was so excited when he came in here,” Wishnow (what an appropriate last name) said.
By all accounts, David, who was accompanied by his young cousins, was a model worker. He took orders, helped out around the dining room, and got a chance to see what goes on in the kitchen.
“David was the kind of kid who clearly knew how to work the audience,” Wishnow observed. “He was very good at upselling and doing stuff on his own. You have to be impressed.”
After clocking out, David scored some Taco Bell merch, a taco-themed cake, and a check for $100— plus he got to keep the $7.32 in tips he earned working the dining room. Not a bad haul for a day’s work.
While what the future holds for David is unfortunately unclear, we at least did get some clarity about a very crucial question: his favorite Taco Bell food. “Nachos,” he says. “Nachos are number one.” Ultimately, I think we can all agree with that.
