AMHERST, N.Y. — Alex Alloy's mom Mary Alloy owns Just Pizza, an Amherst restaurant you quickly learn isn't just anything.
"She just said make me proud today," said Alexander Alloy, Mary's son. "And that means all I got to do is spread the love and positivity that she's been doing."
Mary is the one who had the enterprising idea to partner with the Niagara County SPCA to put photos of homeless dogs on her pizza boxes to help them find homes.
"My mother is a fighter, a fighter for animals, a fighter for kids, grandkids, friendships, businesses, first responders, hospitals, schools, you name it," said Alex.
Now Mary is fighting something else. She was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer called small cell carcinoma.
"She told me, please don't stop asking me for help," said Kimberly LaRussa of the Niagara County SPCA. "And as you know, her friend, I didn't want to ask her for help. I wanted to know what I could do for her. And she insisted on it."
The latest effort involved these Help A Shelter pet cards, which are quickly filling up the windows of Just Pizza. For a dollar donation or more, you can put your name or your pet's name on the card for it to be displayed. But there's way more happening here than raising money.
"I came here with the cards from the SPCA," said Kimberly. "It said help a shelter pet and I had a huge box on it. And the sparkle in her eye. It just made me so happy inside to see because that really meant a lot to her."
"By donating here at Just Pizza to the SPCA or any other of her charities, you're not only helping a good cause, but you are now fighting with my mother. And that makes you family," said Alex.
In this family, there's a very real understanding that times can be tough, but we can always find hope and healing by striving to make life a little better for somebody else.
The Help a Shelter Pet campaign is going on now at Just Pizza in Amherst.
Friends have started a GoFundMe to support Mary through her diagnosis. If you would like to contribute, click here.