A woman in Florida found herself in a dangerous situation, but she got an unexpected lifeline from an unlikely source—Pizza Hut.
It all started on May 4, 2015, in Highlands County, Florida. Cheryl Treadway was stuck in a terrifying hostage situation with her boyfriend, Ethan Nickerson. He had a knife and was threatening both her and her children. It seemed like there was no way out, but Cheryl, determined to find a way to get help, had an idea.
While she was trapped in the dangerous situation, Cheryl still had her cell phone. She used it to place an order for a small hand-tossed pepperoni pizza on the Pizza Hut app. But this wasn’t just any regular pizza order. Along with her pizza request, she included a very important message for the store: she was being held hostage, and she urgently needed help.
TOP CLICKED: Pizza ordering app saves woman in hostage situation. Story: http://t.co/NBDFdQJfJ7 pic.twitter.com/V1YWepftN9
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) May 6, 2015
The staff at the local Pizza Hut quickly saw the message and realized that something was seriously wrong. Without wasting any time, they contacted the police, who immediately rushed to Cheryl’s home. When they arrived, they arrested Ethan Nickerson and safely freed Cheryl and her children from the dangerous situation.
This incredible story ended well, but the reality is that domestic violence affects millions of women every year. In the U.S., about 4 million women are victims of domestic violence annually.
Cheryl’s story is one of the lucky ones, but sadly, many others aren’t so fortunate. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) reports that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced physical violence from a partner at some point in their lives.
Cheryl’s story also brings to mind a powerful anti-domestic violence public service announcement (PSA) that aired during the Super Bowl. In the commercial, a woman pretends she’s ordering a pizza, but in reality, she’s using it as a cover to speak with the police and get help.
While the organization behind the PSA, No More, may have some flaws, the message it shares is still important and clear: we need to recognize when people are in danger and need help.
It’s a reminder of how real this situation can be. A 911 operator shared on Reddit that they’ve handled situations where callers used innocent-sounding requests—like ordering pizza—as a subtle way to ask for help without their abuser noticing.
For anyone who finds themselves in an abusive relationship, there’s help available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers crucial resources, including a safety planning tool. This tool provides survivors with advice on how to leave an abusive situation, as well as basic legal guidelines and support.
While it might seem easy to just leave an abusive relationship from the outside, for many survivors, it’s not that simple. They may be scared, unsure of where to go, or trapped by their circumstances. That’s why it’s important for 911 operators, police officers, and all of us to understand the complexities of these situations.
Just imagine for a second—what if the Pizza Hut manager hadn’t noticed the unusual message in Cheryl’s order? What if the operator in the PSA hadn’t realized the woman was asking for help?
Thankfully, both the Pizza Hut team and the operator knew exactly what to do. But not every signal is going to be as obvious as a loud call for help. Sometimes, people in need of help won’t be able to say it out loud. They might have to find creative ways to reach out.
The good news is that there are people out there—like the Pizza Hut staff, 911 operators, and others—who are paying attention. Their awareness and quick action can make a life-saving difference.
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