In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” WTOP’s Matt Kaufax shares the inspiring way social media, community and giving back can all come together at the perfect time — for a tasty surprise.
After seeing the story of Virginia Make-A-Wish Kid Page Gordon on WTOP last month, Papa Johns DMV decided to step up and give the 17-year-old unlimited free pizza for a year!
Born with sickle cell disease, Page had a life-changing bone marrow transplant at 14, which is when Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic approached him.
When Page and Matt sat down for their first story together, Page admitted his first choice for a Wish was an unlimited pizza card from Papa John’s. As he told Matt, he absolutely loves their pizza.
But Page ultimately used his Wish on something much more selfless: The teen leaned into his love of film and asked for high-tech camera equipment, which he used to document his bone marrow transplant journey. He wanted to inspire others going through pain like his and tell them that it was possible to come out on the other side OK.
Turns out, Papa John’s was watching Page’s story the whole time, and when Matt reached out, the company eagerly hopped on board to give Page a pizza surprise he’ll never forget. Check out Matt’s video of the magical afternoon when Page unknowingly arrived at his own pizza party!
“Matt About Town” airs every Tuesday and Thursday on WTOP at 7:45 a.m., and runs throughout the rest of the day on 103.5 FM. His video pieces are always posted on wtop.com.
You can also find Matt’s videos on Instagram (@wtopnews and @mkaufax) and TikTok (@wtopnews and @mattabouttown_).
If you’ve got an idea for a feature story Matt should cover, reach out via the WTOP “contact us” page to submit your idea.
You can also contact Matt directly. His contact information is listed below.
