Customers make sweet gesture to help donut shop owner

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (AP, KCBS, KTVU) - Doughnuts are flying off the shelves at a small business near Los Angeles as customers try to help the owner make time to visit his wife who is recovering from an aneurysm.

John Chhan is well known to his customers. Everyday for the past 30 years he has greeted his customers at Donut City in Seal Beach. But last month, Chhan's wife, Stella, suffered a brain aneurysm and is currently recovering in a nursing facility.

Chhan starts work at 4:30 a.m. and spends long hours at the shop. So customers decided they wanted to take action and help him get more time to visit his wife.

They started to spread the word and asked folks to buy a dozen donuts at a time.

Their goal is to sell out the shop early every day so John can close up shop and be with his wife. And customers have been heeding the call to help, coming in and snatching up doughnuts by the dozens.

Last Thursday, the trays were cleaned out by 10:30 a.m.

Patrons said it's nice to see everyone coming together. "I really believe that something like this, bringing the community together is just, I don't know, something we really need right now," said customer Erika Sanchez. 

And Chhan said he's just filled with gratitude. "I feel really very, very warm. I just, I can say, thank you very much."