The feel-goods don’t come much better than this. While in Atlanta for Music Midtown, Elton John surprised one Atlanta man by knocking on the door with Open Hand’s 25 millionth meal. Can you say, “Awwww?”
Grab a hanky before clicking play on the video. (Watch it here.) Midtown resident Craig Gustafson expresses his surprise and gratitude at the celebrity encounter, as well as his thanks for ongoing meals from Open Hand, the gay-beloved agency founded to provide food to people affected by HIV/AIDS.
“What an honor,” Gustafson tells reporters. “He’s been fighting for this cause for years and he’s beyond a celebrity. He’s an icon to us. For him to have even 10 minutes to honor me with his time, I’m just blown away.”
Icon, indeed. How many of us can say they shared a kiss on the lips with Elton John after he served us dinner?
You might even be willing to put up with crazy festival traffic in your neighborhood for the bragging rights. After all, John was here in the first place to help put the gay in Music Midtown.
For his part, John told reporters at the scene that he was happy to be part of the big moment for Open Hand celebrating their milestone meal delivery. It continues his ongoing commitment to fight HIV in Atlanta. The part-time Atlantan also delivered the agency’s 1 millionth meal back in the 1990s, and he has contributed personal as well as Elton John AIDS Foundation funds to Open Hand, according to the AJC.
Speaking of his part-time residency in Atlanta, as of this month you can be Elton John’s neighbor in the Park Place condos for a tidy $1.8 million. But if you do buy the place, please don’t punk Elton like these fools did.
