Students raise money to help bagel seller

Proceeds from talent show benefit John Berberich, who was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm

WEST CHESTER >> It’s all about love.

West Chester University bagel seller John Berberich has received a huge hug from students.

The university community rallied around Berberich after he was diagnosed on Dec. 30 with a brain aneurysm. He was scheduled to undergo brain surgery.

Berberich is a food service worker at Einstein Bagels, which is operated by Aramark for WCU Dining, from Sykes Student Union.

The students titled their proj-

ect, “WCU Loves John” and have raised about $25,000 to help pay the bagel sellers medical bills.

About 300 students laughed and cheered during a recent talent show fundraiser for Berberich, at Asplundh Hall.

ROTC members cranked out pushups and talented students, including, acapella singers, swing dancers, Irish dancers, a female barbershop group and even a judo demonstration, kept Berberich, who sat up front, and students entertained.

The favorite attire was “WCU loves John” T-shirts. Emcees Tony Deimler and Montana Leaks kept the show moving.

Berberich said prior to the talent show that when he heard the diagnosis, he felt like he’d been “kicked in the backside” and had “received a wake-up call.”

Berberich talked about the love shown by students.

“They had a benefit for an old guy who cracks a couple of jokes,” the West Bradford resident said. “It’s the power of positivity. If these young adults can do this they can do anything. Imagine what they can do on a larger scale globally.”

Berberich said he serves about 700 students per day and remembers most every customer’s name and regular order.

Students Darby McKee, Alexis Zink and Joshua Dandridge helped organize the benefit.

“We’re trying to show how much he means to us,” McKee said. “Ultimately we’re trying to give back to somebody who gives so much. It’s not so much about the money, we want to put joy into the life of somebody who gives us so much joy.” McKee said it’s important to show somebody from our day to day lives that they’re valued.

“It‘s important to give back to the people who are the unsung heroes of our lives and to show that these things are possible,” she said.

Using technology, students got the word out, while using Facebook, social media pages, emails, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Organizers have no official standing with the university. They work alongside the student government association, which funded the cost of the Tshirts.

“It’s a very unfortunate situation but it’s nice to see what happens when students come together,” Dandridge said.

A GoFundMe account is open in Berberich’s name at www.gofundme.com/johnwcu-einsteins-bagel-guy.

BILL RETTEW JR. – DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Amelia and John Berberich flash big smiles outside West Chester University’s Asplundh Hall prior to a talent show for their benefit after John was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm.