One Little Question Asked By A Starbucks Barista Saved This Army Veteran’s Life

If you've ever worked in the service industry, then you've probably had a few "regulars." For Starbucks barista Nicole Mcneil, her regular customer was United States Army veteran Vince Villano. But one morning, when Vince came in, Nicole could tell something was wrong.

At first, Nicole was hesitant to say anything. But after taking a deep breath, she decided she couldn't stay silent. As it turned out, asking one little question was about to save the army veteran's life.

It Was A Typical Day In Starbucks

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It was a typical day at Starbucks for barista Nicole McNeil. So, when the door opened, and the familiar face of Vince Villano walked into the coffee house, she wasn't surprised. But when he placed his usual order, Nicole couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong.

Of course, she didn't want to cross a line with the customer by asking personal questions. But after thinking it over, Nicole asked a question that very well might have saved the man's life.

Vince Villano Had Frequented That Starbucks Location For Years

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Vince Villano was a Washington resident and a long-time customer at the DuPont coffee house, Starbucks. He'd been frequenting this particular Starbuck's location for years, so the employees all knew his face as well as his regular order.

But, one morning, the barista on duty felt as though something was off with the retired sergeant. There was a tense air about him, but she couldn't bring herself to ask what was wrong.

Even if they didn't know each other on a personal level, Nicole sure knew Vince's coffee order!

Nicole Knew Vince's Order

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Nicole Mcneil was one of the usual morning employees working at Starbucks. As such, she recognized Vince. And she took great pride in knowing his usual coffee, getting it ready for him before he ordered.

In fact, Nicole made up nicknames for a lot of her usual customers, in order to remember their drinks. To her, Vince was known as "Trenta Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, four pumps." Little did she know, she was about to learn a whole lot more about Vince than that nickname.

It Was January 2017 When Vince Walked In Looking Different

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It was a typical January day in 2017, Washington, meaning it was absolutely freezing outside. So customers walking into the DuPont Starbucks were all bundled up to ward off the cold temperatures, including Vince.

But the long trench coat isn't what made Nicole do a double-take after preparing Vince's coffee that morning. He was holding himself differently, with his hands thrust deep inside his coat pockets. But it was the look on his face that really concerned the barista.

Going To Starbucks Was Routine

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Like a lot of people, Vince had developed a routine of getting coffee in the morning. Nicole assumed he wanted a caffeine-kick to start his day, as many students and people in the workforce do.

What Nicole didn't know was that this routine became necessary after a rough time in Vince's life. After the barista learned the truth, it was evident the Army veteran wasn't going to Starbucks each morning because he loved the coffee.

Vince Was Very Ambitious

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As a young man, Vince's ambition was to graduate from high school and attend the northern California school College of the Siskiyous. Two notable alumni from the college are professional baseball player Mark Acre and professional football player Dan Hawkins.

But he didn't want to attend because of the big names who had gone there. He wanted to go to college and study a very particular topic, medicine, and emergency medical management. Then, Uncle Sam came knocking on his door.

After A Decade, Vince Was Made Sergeant

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After studying in college, Vince found himself in the United States military, the Army, to be exact. Before he knew it, a decade had passed and Vince was a sergeant. He never expected to be in the military for so long!

As a lead emergency medical technician, Vince saw a lot of situations that were still haunting him. So, when he finally left the army behind, he made a pact with himself to change his life.

Vince was happy to be done with the military and move on with his life, which included getting a nine to five job.

Vince Finally Had A Nine To Five Job

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After Vince was discharged from the United States Army, he made a conscious effort to change his life. So, he thought it through and found a branch of Farmers Insurance in Lakewood, Washington that appealed to him.

Finally, he was able to put the front lines behind him and work a regular nine to five job. Unfortunately, the darkness wasn't too far behind, and Vince was going to be sucked back in sooner rather than later.

Vince Made A Routine For Himself

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Vince found readjusting to civilian life difficult, as many veterans do. So, he made a routine for himself, to help ease back into "normal life." That routine started each day off with a cup of coffee.

For years, Vince went to the DuPont Starbucks and ordered the same drink from the same barista. But little did Vince and Nicole know, but their lives were about to be thrown together in a very unexpected way. And it all started with one simple question.

Like Vince, Nicole Was Very Ambitious

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Like Vince, Nicole was a very ambitious student, wanting to head off to college after graduating from Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington. The barista attended the Univerity of Washington, choosing to study construction management.

She graduated with her degree back in 2005, meeting her future husband, Justin, soon after. Ironically, Nicole had no idea that her husband and Vince had so much in common, despite seeing him every day for years. But they were about to find out.

Justin And Vince Both Had Military Careers

Justin And Vince Had A Common Military Career

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Coincidentally, Nicole's husband Justin was also a military veteran. And not just any branch, but the United States Army. Not only that, but he was also granted the rank of sergeant during his service.

Of course, Nicole had no clue one of her regular customers had so much in common with Justin. But that would all change the day she asked Vince that fateful question. Little did the two know, but they were about to learn a lot about one another.

Nicole Had Worked At That Starbucks Location For Years

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Nicole had worked at that Starbucks location since 2014, so she knew Vince's routine. But just because she knew his routine, order, and that he would come into the shop each morning, she didn't know much beyond that.

Because Nicole had worked at Starbucks for so long, so was in quite a unique position. It was something that even Vince wasn't counting on. Thankfully, because of it, Nicole was able to save his life.

Nicole Is Very Attuned To Regular Customers' Body Language

Nicole Is Very Attuned To Regular Customers Boy Language

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Because of her job as a barista, Nicole was in contact with many people each day, including Vince. So, she was accustomed to seeing certain customers each day, even picking up when something was wrong because of mood changes and body language.

It was both of those things that had income thinking something was wrong with Vince. Now it was just a matter of getting the man to speak with her. Who knows, maybe talking with someone would help?

Nicole knew something was wrong right when Vince walked through the door. Now it was a matter of finding out what.

Immediately, Nicole Knew Something Was Wrong

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On the official Starbucks Stories website, Nicole said, "As a barista, we can really tell when our customers are sad and when they're hurting." As a mother of three, Nicole was very attuned to people's emotions and when they were feeling down.

So, when Vince walked in that fateful day with a particularly glum expression on his face and a slumped posture, Nicole immediately knew something was wrong with one of her regular customers.

It Was Almost The End Of Her Shift When Vince Walked In

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It was January in Washington, so, in other words, it was freezing outside. Nicole was almost done with her morning shift when Vince walked in, looking a bit more glum than usual.

Now because she was very attuned to her regular customers' daily body language and mood, she knew right away that something was off with Vince. For a guy who rarely had a change in expression or demeanor, Nicole knew she had to say something.

Vince Didn't Look Well

Nicole Was Very Concerned About Her Regular Customer

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During an interview with MailOnline, Nicole spoke about Vince, saying, "Even when he seemed happy, he always looked a bit glum. And [he] wanted to just get his coffee and go."

The thing is that morning was different. Vince's facial expression was a bit off, and his posture was making Nicole feel as though she had to say something to her regular customer. But what is there to say to a man you don't know personally and only serve coffee to?

She Told Vince That They Should Sit Down And Chat

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After preparing his usual order of a 30-ounce vanilla cold brew with extra vanilla, Nicole finally got the courage to ask Vince a simple question that was going to change the course of both their lives.

Nicole asked, "Is everything OK?" She was concerned for his well being. Vince wasn't exactly open to sharing that morning. But Nicole was committed to helping her regular customer. So, she nudged him a bit harder, wanting him to open up.

Nicole Learned An Interesting Truth About Vince

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During an interview with MailOnline, Nicole explained the quick exchange, saying, "I said, 'I'm off in 15 to 20 minutes, we can sit down for half an hour and chat before I pick up my kids.'"

Of course, Vince wasn't skeptical, saying, "It would take too long to tell you." But he underestimated the barista who came back with a solid answer. "I actually do have the time today." So, the two sat down for a chat.

It was time to sit down with Vince and get to the bottom of his funky mood.

The Two Sat Down And Got To Know One Another

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After Nicole clocked out for the day, she met Vince at one of the tables, sitting down and getting cozy. It didn't take long before the two realized they had a lot in common. Well, more so Vince and Nicole's husband Justin did. They were both Army veterans!

However, Vince's transition into regular civilian life wasn't what was getting him down. No, it was not psychological but it was health-related.

Vince Had Polycystic Kidney Disease

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As it turned out, Vince was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease. The condition is genetic, causing the enlargement of cyst-ridden kidneys until they eventually shut down altogether.

A few people in Vince's family have had the disease, including a great-grandparent who passed away from complications that can arise, such as high blood pressure and kidney failure. It made sense why the air around Vince seemed to tense that particular morning.

More On The Disease

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According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Polycystic kidney disease is a disorder that affects the kidneys and other organs. Clusters of fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, develop in the kidneys and interfere with their ability to filter waste products from the blood."

Pretty much, Vince was just living a waiting game that he didn't sign up for. The diagnosis was enough to make anyone feel more glum than usual.

At First, Vince Had A Pretty Matter-Of-Fact Attitude

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On the official Starbucks Stories & News site, Vince said, "When I was first diagnosed, I felt like, 'Well, I'm dying.'" That's a pretty matter-of-fact way of looking at things. Especially for someone who wanted nothing more than to live a normal civilian life.

He went on to say, "It was not my first encounter with mortality. I had some situations in the military. But this was really out of my control. There's nothing you can do. It's kind of a black cloud that hangs over your head all the time."

Vince Was Told He Needed A Kidney Transplant

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It had been a few years since his diagnosis, but it was only getting worse. In 2016, Vince was hooked up to a dialysis machine, something that functions as a kidney. But it was a few days before his chat with Nicole in 2018 that he received additional information of his current state.

Vince's doctors told him that he needed a kidney transplant and that it was a life or death situation. The news saddened Nicole, and that night she told Justin all about it.

Justin Offered Vince His Kidney

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It was when Nicole was telling Justin about her talk with Vince that he came up with a brilliant and selfless solution. Nicole said during an interview, "Right away, [Justin] said, 'Well, I have a kidney. He can have mine.'"

Adding, "It doesn’t surprise me. He’s that generous and that kind – and it doesn’t surprise any of our friends who’ve heard about this. They’re like, ‘Of course Justin would do this.’"

Justin And Vince Became Fast Friends

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From there, Justin and Vince became fast friends. First hanging out together with Nicole and then on their own. The two hadn't even been to the lab yet to see if they were a compatible match!

During an interview, Nicole said, "And then he started coming over for parties on the holidays, and then he and Justin started hanging out on their own." Everyone could only hope that the friendship had a chance to bloom.

Nicole and Justin easily fit Vince into their family. Now it was just a matter of making sure he was around a lot longer.

Vince Soon Became Part Of The Family

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It didn't take long for Justin and Nicole to think of Vince as part of the family. The couple, along with their three kids, adored Vince. And while he knew about Justin's generous offer, Vince still had his fair share of doubts.

He couldn't thank Nicole and Justin enough for what they were doing for him, not only with the kidney but also with their friendship. But now it was time for the two men to get tested.

The testing was going to take a lot longer than anyone thought.

Justin Went Through A Series Of Medical Tests

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Before a transplant can occur, the patient and donor need to go through some tests to make sure they are compatible. The Alina Health website says, "Testing to see if you can donate a kidney begins with a blood test."

"The test will determine your blood type and if it will match the recipient's blood. If your blood type is compatible with the recipient, two more blood tests will be done (tissue typing and cross-matching)"

The Testing Took A Year To Complete

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Everyone was praying and had their fingers crossed that the two men were compatible and that Justin would be able to donate his kidney to Vince. But they had to be patient. Unfortunately, the testing was going to take a total of 12 months to complete.

So, for one whole year, everyone was sitting on pins and needles waiting for the results to come in. And when they finally did, no one could believe their eyes.

Justin And Vince Were Compatible!

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The test results confirmed that Justin and Vince were a match! They wasted no time, scheduling a date for the procedure to take place. December 26, the day after Justin's 36th birthday, was the winning date.

According to Justin, saying yes to the donation was simple, "There wasn't a lot of thinking about it. It was 'let's do this. I can do that if I got two, right? I can give one, so that was it. In the end, it really is a life-or-death question. And so it makes it a non-question."

The Transplant Was A Success

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December 26th came, and the two men were wheeled into the operating room. Nicole waited anxiously for the surgeon to come out and speak to her, and when he did, she was over the moon.

The transplant was a total success, and both Justin and Vince were in recovery. For Vince, the new kidney meant that he could count on living for 20 or more years. Time that he'll be able to spend with his new friends!

Just like restaurants and coffee shops, pizza delivery drivers have regular customers. Unlike other businesses, pizza delivery drivers are also seeing where their customers live and the state of their homes. When Domino's delivery drivers Angela Nguyen and Sarah Hughes saw the inside of one of their regular customer’s homes, they knew they had to act fast.

Angela Nguyen Wasn't Always a Delivery Driver

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Living in Anoka County, Minnesota, Angela Nguyen works as a delivery driver for Domino's. But that’s not the job she’s always had. Before becoming a Domino’s driver, Angela worked for the Minnesota Visiting Nurses.

Angela told The Atlantic, "I did housekeeping for people with AIDS and HIV. Then they closed my department. They offered me another position with hospice, but I had a daughter that died while I was working for Minnesota Visiting Nurses, and it was just too difficult for me to think of going to work with other people that were dying. So I left."

Angela's caring nature was going to come in handy very soon.

Her Daughter Worked For Domino's

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After she left the Minnesota Visiting Nurses, Angela began looking for other work. She often took care of her grandchildren and needed to find a job with a flexible schedule. Angela decided that she would apply to be a Domino's driver, where her daughter Sarah also worked.

Soon, she was in the flow of her new job, which allowed for one of the two women to always be home with the kids, too.

Angela met lots of different people because of her new job

They Had The Same Customers, Including Lee Haase

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Angela told The Atlantic, "I would help [Sarah] out quite a bit, watching her children. I got a job at Domino's and worked opposite hours of her. It was flexible enough for me to watch her kids while she worked and then for her to have her children when I went to work."

Both of the women delivered pizza around their town in Anoka County, Minnesota. Often times, they would serve the same customers, including Lee Haase.

Lee Was a Regular Customer at Domino's

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One customer that Angela and Sarah could count on hearing from was 76-year-old Lee Haase. A resident of Anoka County, Lee would order pizza from Domino's every Saturday. Angela told USA Today that his order was like clockwork.

"About 10:15 a.m. you are going to get an order from Lee. He likes to order every Saturday. So at least once a week, Angela or Sarah would pull up to Lee’s trailer with his favorite pizza.

Over time, they got to know Lee and his story.

Lee Had a Terrible Year

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The year 2015 was incredibly hard on Lee. A series of unfortunate and unpredictable events changed his life entirely. First, his home was damaged in a bad storm. The house needed a lot of work to make it inhabitable again, and Lee didn't have the savings to do it. So, he was forced to move into a trailer on his property.

Then, tragedy struck when his son was unexpectedly killed in a snowmobile accident. Lee was completely heartbroken and down on his luck. But that didn’t keep him from being kind to others, and optimistic about his own future.

The Trailer Was In Bad Shape

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After his house was no longer safe to live in, Lee moved into a trailer on his property in Minnesota. But the trailer wasn't in good shape either. At 76-years-old, Lee felt that he didn’t have many options. But after seeing where he lived, Domino’s delivery driver Sarah, Angela’s daughter, didn’t feel good about it.

The trailer roof and siding was rusted and deteriorating. The same storm that had destroyed his house had left the trailer in bad shape, and winter was on the horizon.

Angela and Sarah didn't have a good feeling about Lee’s living situation.

The Trailer Wasn't A Good Place for Lee To Live

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After Sarah delivered pizza to Lee one day, she went home and told her mom the state of inside. She had discovered that the trailer didn't have electricity, heat, or plumbing. Although Lee was trying to make the best of the situation, by ordering pizza since he couldn’t make food, Sarah knew he would be in danger once the temperatures dropped and another storm hit.

Angela’s daughter told her what she learned. "I thought, 'We got to do something. We can’t let a human being live like this.'" Angela explained to USA Today.

Getting To Know Lee

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Since they learned of his harsh living conditions, Lee was on the minds of Angela and Sarah. Even though her days of working with the Minnesota Visiting Nurses was over, Angela still had an intuition to help people in need.

Angela told The Atlantic, "[The pizzas are] what [Lee] would live on, on the weekends because he was elderly and couldn't get Meals on Wheels." She realized, however, that finding ways to get food was only one of Lee’s problems. Warmth and shelter were also a big problem that needed to be solved. And quickly.

A friendship forms

Angela Formed a Friendship With Lee

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Lee was a kind older man, and Angela wanted to do whatever she could to help him when she saw him. "I would look forward to delivering to him and just being a little ray of sunshine to him every Saturday morning, saying, 'How are you doing, Lee?'"

She even went out of her way to make sure he had what he needed. “Sometimes, I would stop at the store and grab him a hot cup of coffee and a doughnut before I'd go there with his pizza.”

Angela Had The Right Attitude

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Angela's empathetic personality wouldn’t stop there, however. She told USA Today, "There’s no way somebody can live like that and be fine. So you just step in, and you do what you got to do."

Truly going above her call of duty as a Domino’s driver, Angela set-up a GoFundMe page explaining Lee’s story, and asking for help for whoever could make a donation. On the page, Angela included a photo of the dilapidated trailer, with the title, “Not in our community!!!!” Urging people to help their elderly neighbor find a new home.

It Turned Out, Other People Wanted To Help, Too

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The GoFundMe page that Angela gained traction as people signed on to donate. Although she initially thought she would get some contributions from her fellow community members, the page reached generous people far beyond their Minnesota town.

"We got donations from as far as Australia!" she told USA Today. Her goal to raise $35,000 was almost entirely met in two months, with around 765 people pitching in a total of $32,000 to help Lee find a safe place to live.

What was next for Lee?

The Next Step

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Now that Angela had the donation money, she was ready to take the next step in finding a safe home for Lee. After doing some searching, Angela was able to find a trailer in her local community that was in good condition and would fit Lee's housing needs.

Once again, generous neighbors in their Minnesota community pitched in and donated furniture to make Lee’s new place move-in ready. The woman who delivered pizzas to Lee’s door was now delivering him a new home!

The Greatest Christmas Gift

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Angela was able to secure Lee's new home just in time for Christmas. Luckily, she was able to raise the funds in two months, so Lee would be moved in before the temperature got colder and the snow would start to fall.

Along with her daughter Sarah and other community members who pitched in to help, they anxiously awaited the moment that they would surprise Lee with his new home.

Next: Lee's reaction…

He Was Speechless

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As you can imagine, Lee was completely taken aback by the generosity of Angela and the community. After one of the toughest years in his life, Lee was being given a helping hand to get back on his feet.

Not only did his new home have electricity, heating, and plumbing, but the crew of volunteers made sure that it was clean, stocked with food, and felt like home. They even brought in a Christmas tree!

"I Promised You We Were Going To Help You"

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Once they presented Lee with his new home, Sarah gave him a big hug. "You remember when this started, and I promised you we were going to help you?" She asks him, fighting back the tears.

Lee couldn't believe his eyes and took his time trying to find the right words. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “I’m so grateful for people doing this.” Without family around to help Lee when he needed it, the community stepped up in a big way, and he appreciated every one of them.

Lee gets to tour his new home, next.

Taking The Tour

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After the initial shock wore off a bit, and everyone was given a minute to dry their eyes, it was time to give Lee a tour of his new home. Angela, Sarah, and the volunteers made sure that the cabinets were stocked with food and Lee had everything he needed to take care of himself when Meals on Wheels weren't able to reach him on the weekends.

The home also had a washer and dryer, and a welcoming message in the bedroom that read, "Joy, hope, love, peace, believe."

Everyone Was Happy To Help

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While Lee continued to express his gratitude for all that his new friends had done for him, they made sure to let him know that they wanted to do it. While everyone gathered in the living room with Santa Claus hats, Angela told Lee, "Every single one of us enjoyed doing this."

She continued, “This ain't all for Lee. We all benefited.” The effort that Angela and her daughter Sarah put in to helping Lee also brought the community together, and allowed others from around the world to help, too.

Lee Is Safe In His New Home

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Now that Lee was comfortable and safe in his new home, Angela and Sarah could rest a bit easier knowing their friendly regular customer would be okay through the winter. But of course, their work only inspired them to help others even more.

Seeing the difference that they could make, reaching out to people they met while working as delivery drivers for Domino's, made them change the way they felt about every customer.

Angela Continues Helping Her Community

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Of course, Lee isn't the only Domino’s customer that Angela met and saw needed some help. After successfully getting Lee moved into his new home, she began to think about the other people she met while working.

"Another customer’s daughter just had surgery for Crohn’s disease and was very, very ill and mother was out of work," Angela told The Atlantic. So once again, Angela took to GoFundMe to help another member of her community that she met while delivering pizzas.

Always Ready To Help

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"I started a GoFundMe for her, and we are getting enough donations that her mother doesn't have to worry about going back to work right now," Angela told The Atlantic.

She continued, “[Lee] really stood out for quite some time and doesn’t order for delivery anymore because he’s got a stove and a refrigerator and a microwave.” Now that he’s taken care of, Angela is looking for other people she can help.