While most funerals are usually pretty somber affairs, there was one amusing silver lining to Richard Lussi’s funeral in October: his son and grandson lovingly placed two Philadelphia cheesesteaks in his casket before he was buried.
This may seem like a bizarre action for a grieving family, but then again, most people probably don’t know how much Richard loved these sandwiches.
They weren’t just any ol’ sandwiches, either – they were specifically bought and made at Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia.
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Despite the restaurant being two and a half hours away from Richard’s home in Plains Township, Pennsylvania, the grandfather would have no problem making the drive specifically so he could buy some of the heavenly cheesesteaks.
Before he died of heart complications on October 10th, the 76-year-old would always insist that he wanted to be buried with one of Pat’s cheesesteaks.
“He’s always had a bad heart and doctors told him he had to watch what he ate, but he always said, ‘I’m going to die one day and there’s no way I’m cutting all this good food out of my life,’ ” Richard’s grandson Dominic told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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So, the night before Richard’s funeral, Dominic and his father John traveled to Philly, got a bite and Pat’s, and bought two more sandwiches for Richard. The next day, they placed the cheesesteaks in the casket alongside the deceased (much to the surprise of some of the funeral-goers).
“We were just going to get one but my pop always said, ‘If you’re going to Pat’s you always get two, you never order just one. It’s a waste of time,’ ” recalled Dominic.
Upon hearing about the grandfather’s last request, Pat’s owner Frank Olivieri Jr. told the Inquirer: “I’m flattered, bewildered, and proud that someone would hold the Philly cheesesteak and Pat’s Philly cheesesteak so dear that they want to take it to the afterlife with them.”
“Maybe it’s a bribe for St. Peter,” he added.
Serve Up Some Sweetness To Your Friends: Click To Share – Photo by John Lussi