JC’s Cafe in Cary, Illinois is a place known for fresh coffee and warm pastries, and its famous homemade soup.
It’s owner Juan Carlos Beristain makes the soup personally using only seasonal ingredients from the local market. He uses butternut squash, zucchini, parsnips, yellow squash, organic carrots and sweet potato.
“As soon as they try that soup, they get in love with it, and it is a delicious soup,” Beristain said.
Noah Dionesotes, a Cary-Grove man being treated for his multiple sclerosis with chemo, loves the soup but because of being on a wheelchair and going for treatment, he is not able to go the cafe.
So one day, Juan Carlos saw a post on neighborhood Facebook group discussing Noah’s situation, and how much he loved the cafe’s soup.
So Carlos decided to take the soup to him, at his doorstep where he gave him a few mugs full.
“I really feel when other people are in pain,” Juan Carlos said. “I felt that I could help him at least by delivering the soup that he likes, with the nutrition that is going to help him.”
Noah was overwhelmed by Juan Carlos’ kindness as he told him he need not pay, and also offered to keep getting him more of it.
“He’s like, ‘I only want to see you get better,'” Noah remembers.
Noah didn’t expect to see Juan Carlos again, but then there was another knock on his door.
“The second time he brought it, I was like, ‘he’s not lying,'” Noah said.
Juan Carlos kept visiting him with soup and also learned about Noah’s condition, and met his wife and children.
“You have to do these things because you like to do them, and have that connection with people,” Beristain said.
JC’s Cafe has been opened three years as of now, and has an incredible relationship with his customers.
He gives the credit to his dad, who was “always a giver” and offered support, love and help to those around him.
His dad’s health is not so great now, but Juan Carlos says he follows his father’s example as a way of honoring his life.
“This is part of my way to thank him,” Juan Carlos said. “I couldn’t be any other way.”
Meanwhile, Noah has been receiving his soups for over a year now, several times every week. “I think the guy’s a saint … he’s an amazing human,” Noah said.
As time goes by and the realization that we are leaving gets more real,I can’t help but feel sad to leave our friends…
Posted by JC’S CAFE on Saturday, April 13, 2019
Juan Carlos and his family plan to return to their hometown in Mexico, in a while, which means that residents of Cary are going to miss JC’s cafe, and also their good friend.
“Every time you help somebody that appreciates what you do, that is your reward,” Juan Carlos said.
Noah is going through more rounds of treatment, and hopes to raise enough money through a GoFundMe to pay for stem cell treatment in Mexico.
This is such an incredible story of kindness shown by Juan Carlos to people in his community, he was able to impact them with his kindness and generosity.