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Son from Philly is Cooking Cheesesteaks to Help Fund Ill Mom’s Dream Trip

Author Kara Lester
Cheesesteaks are one of the most iconic foods in Philadelphia and

A community came together over cheesesteaks to help make an ill mom’s dream come true.

After discovering she had a late stage of cancer, Gloria Walker, told her son Dustin Vitale’s about her dream trip. She longed to see the pyramids in Egypt ever since she was little. As a way to raise the money, Vitale, a Philadelphia history teacher began making cheesesteaks out of his kitchen. Even getting up at 4am with his wife to bake the rolls.

Word got around to Mike Hauke, owner of Tony Boloney’s who was very touched by the story.

Patti, Hauke’s Mother, passed away 16 years ago from cancer. “All she wanted to do was go to Maine and see the fall foliage,” Hauke told The Philadelphia Inquirer. “We never made it there. And I said, ‘You know what? Let me call him up and see what’s going on.’”

Hauke then packed up 1,000 rolls, 200 pounds of cheese, 500 pounds of rib-eye steak, many bags of onions, and 250 T-shirts into his food truck. On Sunday, he traveled from Atlantic City to Vitale’s neighborhood in Northeast Philly to help cook.

Hauke and three workers created meals for hundreds of supporters along Loretto Ave. By the end of the day, they reached their goal of $10,000.

The whole family will be joining Walker on her trip once school lets out for the summer.

The entire event way planned in just four days and went viral on social media. Vitale would send updates to his followers throughout the day.

The ingredients for the day were all donated. Jesse Amoroso from Amoroso’s and A. Rando Baker in Atlantic City supplied many boxes of rolls. Hauke’s supplier, U.S. Foods gave the meat and onions while Grande Cheese donated the cheese. The shirts which had “Vitale’s Steaks’ printed on the front were from a friend, Bryce Bundy.

“This is a good kid,” Hauke spoke about Vitale to The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I love my mom. He loves his mom. Obviously this is a big deal. He has a baby on the way. He’s a schoolteacher. That’s all they do — give, give, give. This is the least we can do on a Sunday, coming out and having a good time.”

Kara Lester is the Promotions Director for WMGK and BEN FM. She is a Penn State graduate with a degree in public relations. Kara creates contest and event pages for WMGK and BEN FM.

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Author Kara Lester
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