According to a news report from abclocal.go.com, “A new pizza place doesn’t usually make the news, but John Garcia isn’t the average restaurant owner.”
“Garcia’s restaurant, Angel’s Place, 2521 South Central in Cicero, opened Monday. Even Town President Larry Dominick stopped by to wish Garcia good luck,” said the article. “Garcia’s story of success was a long time in the making. At 21, an armed robber stabbed him in the back three times. He was paralyzed from the waist down- and told he would never walk again. Now, at 46 years old, he’s walking- with difficulty- and his dream is finally coming true. “Twenty five years of being disabled,” said Garcia. “Some rejection and, now I’ve finally come to the point where I could fulfill my dream.” Garcia used funds from the Illinois Department of Rehab Services to get his pizza and pasta restaurant started.”
“We helped with the purchase of the bathroom -making it totally accessible. And the biggest thing was providing the oven to cook the food on, which is a very expensive item which he couldn’t afford,” said Jeff Standerfer, Illinois Dept. of Human Services,” said the story. “Social Security chipped in, along with other agencies, and Garcia raised $110,000. It’s a message for other disabled people.”
