Hundreds of homeless people were treated to a pizza feast all thanks to a final request from a man executed just hours earlier.
Philip Workman, 53, was put to death in the early hours of Wednesday, May 9, 2007. His last wish? A vegetarian pizza donated to any homeless person near Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee.
However, Death Row prison officials refused, citing a policy against donating to charities. But that didn’t stop others from stepping in…
READ MORE: Death Row killer’s modest three-item final meal in first state execution in 14 years
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As news of Workman’s request spread, people across Nashville took it upon themselves to honour his final wish. Homeless shelters in the city were flooded with donated pizzas throughout the Wednesday.
(Image: Wikipedia)
“I was like, ‘Wow, Jesus! ” Marvin Champion, an employee at Nashville’s Rescue Mission which provides overnight shelter, food, and assistance to homeless people, said at the time.
“I used to be homeless, so I know how rough it gets. I seen some bad times – not having enough food, the cupboards are bare. But we got pizza to feed enough people for a while.
“This really shows the people here that someone out there thought of them.”
One of the people who helped make this happen was Donna Spangler. After hearing about Workman’s request, she quickly rallied her friends and together they raised $1,200 to buy 150 pizzas for the Rescue Mission.
“Philip Workman was trying to do a good deed and no one would help him,” said the 55-year-old Spangler, who recruited a co-worker to help her make the massive delivery.
“I knew my husband would have a heart attack – I put some of it on the credit card. But I thought we’ll find a way to pay for them later. I just felt like I had to do something positive.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Spangler wasn’t alone in her efforts. The president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also read about the prison denying Workman’s request and promptly ordered 15 veggie pizzas to be sent to the Rescue Mission.
“Workman’s act was selfless, and kindness to all living beings is a virtue,” said PETA President Ingrid Newkirk.
Meanwhile, 17 pizzas arrived at Nashville’s Oasis Center, a shelter supporting about 260 teenagers in crisis. By 9pm more pizzas had arrived, said Executive Director Hal Cato: “We talked to the kids and they understand what this is tied to, and they know that this man [Workman] wanted to do something to point out the problems of homelessness.”
Philip Workman’s story is one of tragedy. In 1981, while homeless and addicted to cocaine, he robbed a Wendy’s in Memphis, Tennessee. During the robbery he shot and killed Memphis Police Lt. Ronald Oliver, leading to his conviction and eventual execution.
(Image: Murderpedia)
Although many of the pizzas ordered in Workman’s name were delivered anonymously, the first 17 pies at Oasis Center were courtesy of a Minneapolis, Minnesota, radio station that dedicated much of its morning show to discussing Workman’s request. “They were upset about it,” Cato said.
As more pizzas poured in, Cato planned to share the surplus with other homeless shelters in Nashville, ensuring that many more people in need would benefit from the donations. “They should be able to benefit from this, too,” he said.
Cliff Tredway, the director of public relations for the Rescue Mission, said: “It’s more than pizzas that helped that shelter. It’s the story of a guy whose execution translated into a generous act.
“It’s people donating to other people they don’t know. It’s about a group of people who society often writes off getting a pizza party today.”
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