DQ manager hailed for good deed meets Warren Buffett
The teenage Dairy Queen manager who drew national attention for an act of kindness last year caught up with billionaire investor Warren Buffett, whose corporate empire owns the DQ chain, WCCO reports.
Joey Prusak made headlines in September after word spread that he gave a blind customer $20 out of his own pocket after seeing a woman steal a $20 bill the customer had dropped on the floor.
The story spread quickly in social media and eventually caught the attention of Buffett, who called Prusak to thank him.
Buffett also invited Prusak to an annual shareholders convention in Omaha, Nebraska, and Prusak has just returned from the event, wowed by sightings of philanthropist Bill Gates and Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, among others. Prusak was part of a crew selling ice cream for charity at the event, and he sold Buffett a vanilla orange bar, Buffett's favorite, WCCO reports. Prusak also had a lengthy talk with Buffett’s son, WCCO reports.
Back in September, Prusak, who has been working at the DQ since 8th grade, saw the regular customer with limited sight drop a $20 bill on the floor. He watched as another woman picked up the money, and instead of giving it back to the customer as Prusak expected, the woman put the money in her purse.
Prusak confronted the woman, but she denied it, so he told her he wouldn't serve her. Prusak said he gave $20 to the customer – without his knowledge of the incident – because it was "the right thing to do."
The story went viral because a woman who had witnessed the whole thing wrote a letter to Dairy Queen corporate officers, which was posted to Facebook, and it spread through social media.
The act of generosity drew national media coverage, and many customers have stopped at the Dairy Queen to thank Prusak.
Strangers have given Prusak $20 bills, but he doesn't feel right about accepting the money, so he gives it to charity.