'These Are Our Heroes': Chef Ming Tsai Surprises Families With Gourmet Meals
BOSTON (CBS) - An unexpected visitor at a home in Beacon Hill. Think "ding dong ditch" but with a fun surprise waiting. Ten-year-old Sarah Tapia had no idea what to expect, guessing, "That it was some stranger maybe?"
No stranger- try James Beard Award Winning Chef Ming Tsai, who set up a pop-up restaurant in the family's backyard.
Sarah was diagnosed with cancer almost four years ago. Her mother Joan Tapia explained, "She taught me every day is a gift, just going through the battle of finding out the diagnosis and going through the treatment, she's taught me a lot."
Her family moved to Boston so Sarah could receive chemotherapy treatment at Tufts Children's Hospital. She's doing much better and is now undergoing maintenance care.
Chef Tsai has been surprising deserving families in Massachusetts throughout the week, including two high school students who raised thousands of dollars for local food pantries and an ICU nurse.
He shared, "these are our heroes. The frontline people are our heroes. And then you have cancer survivors. They're the real heroes. I'm never going to complain about this or that or traffic because my problems are nothing compared to what these people are doing."
He's been posting the surprises on social media, hoping to inspire others, adding, "just give a little kindness. I guarantee you you're going to feel better."
To see who Chef Tsai surprises next, follow along on Instagram.