Turnabout Pizza treats Lemont family to pizza after 'nasty' night

LEMONT – Turnabout Pizza owner Jill Rooney said she has a soft spot for people whom have had rough days and feels compelled to treat them.

Such was the case for Lemont resident Janet Nichols, who fractured her leg on Feb. 21 but received a free pizza from a sympathetic Rooney.

“It was just a really nice thought,” Nichols said. “It was a nasty evening.”

At 6 p.m. – 15 minutes after she had ordered a pizza from Turnabout – Nichols twisted and fractured her right leg while walking down the stairs to her basement.

“I said [to husband, Milt], ‘Call 911, then cancel the pizza,’ ” she said.

Paramedics took Janet to Silver Cross Hospital.

She and Milt returned home at 10:30 p.m. and reordered the pizza.

Rooney said when Milt came in to pick up the pizza and told her what happened, she felt bad for them.

“I said, ‘This one is so on the house,’ ” she said.

Janet, who has three more weeks with her leg in a brace, heard about the free pizza from Milt and wanted to share the story about the act of kindness.

“They always say Lemont’s a caring community,” she said. “That makes you think, ‘Yes, we are standing by what we’re known for.’”