[Upbeat music.]
In our series,
"A More Perfect Union,"
we aim to show that what unites us as Americans
is far greater than what divides us.
In the small surf town of Seal Beach, in southern California,
donuts are suddenly selling fast.
That's because customers of this 'mom and pop' shop
made it their mission to help the owners
in their time of need.
John Blackstone went to Donut City early one morning,
to see how people are coming from all over,
to 'pay it forward.'
[John Blackstone] Seven days a week,
John Chan arrives, a little after 4 in the morning,
to open his donut shop in Seal Beach, California.
- Morning. - Two dozen.
[Blackstone] The first customers arrive by 4:30 a. m.
These days, you have to get there early,
because the donuts are likely to be sold out, before dawn.
[Woman] I'm getting five dozen donuts.
[Blackstone] Five dozen donuts?!
Five dozen, yeah.
I'm going to take care of the staff, today, at my kid's elementary school.
[Blackstone] Since 1990, John Chan has been behind the counter
with his wife, Stella, by his side.
- How is she doing? - She's okay.
- Ahh.
[Blackstone] John's wife of more than thirty years
is now recovering from a brain aneurysm.
Her sister stepped in to help out,
but customers immediately missed Stella.
[Man] She is smiling, and full of life.
Always in a great mood.
Just says: "Hi! How are you? Good morning!"
[Blackstone] Because of their affection for the man who makes the confections,
the community wanted to help.
As word spread about Stella, people said:
"Oh, well give you some money. We'll open a Go Fund Me page.
We'll give you some money."
[John Chan] Oh. No, you don't.
I can make it good enough, by myself.
[Blackstone] You didn't want people to just give you money?
[John Chan] No, no, no.
I'm not used -- [Laughs]
[Man] We wanted to offer John some money,
but he's a proud man, and didn't want to take it.
So, I said,
"Let's just come here, buy his inventory out, every morning,
early, so he can get home and be with his wife
and help mend her, back to full health."
[Blackstone] One person shared Chan's story, on social media,
suggesting the community could help out,
and bring donuts to work, church, school...
because as soon as the donuts are sold out,
John could leave,
and spend more time with his wife.
Suddenly, donuts were selling by the dozens, and dozens.
[Man] Hi, I'd like to get a dozen donuts?
[Woman] Can I have two dozen?
[Man] Give me four dozen?
[Woman] I am from Minnesota, and I heard about this --
this is awesome!
[Blackstone] You heard about this from your daughter?
[Man] My daughter, and her husband are stationed in Hawaii.
Uh, they are military.
And, she got hold of us, and said
we needed to come down, and support this family.
[John Chan] Very busy.
But, I don't mind. I like it.
[Blackstone] John and Stella are refugees from Cambodia.
They became part of the fabric of this community,
selling donuts to generation after generation.
[Tim Wrigley] Yeah, they are national treasures, here, at Seal Beach.
They have twenty-eight years, right here.
Yeah, they're great people.
[Blackstone] And that is why, morning after morning,
as the sun comes up, the donuts are disappearing.
- Thank you. - Have a good day.
[John Chan] I just want to say thank you very much,
for neighbors coming here, they make me happy, so much.
[Blackstone] By 6:45 a. m.,
just two hours after Chan opened,
nearly everything is gone, but the donut holes.
[Woman] I ordered the whole pan of the donut holes.
[Blackstone] The whole pan?
[Woman] The whole pan. Yeah.
[Blackstone] Is there anything left, for you to order?
[2nd woman] I ordered a second pan.
There were two pans. We took them all.
[Blackstone] In this little shop by the sea,
the only thing sweeter than the donuts
is the outpouring of affection
for the man behind the counter.
[Man] John, I just wanted to say thank you, for everything.
[John Chan] Thank you.
[Blackstone] For "CBS This Morning,"
John Blackstone,
Seal Beach, California.
[Gayle King] We needed that.
We needed a reminder that there is humanity
in this country, and that people really want to do good,
and do well, and help others.
Kindness never, ever goes out of style.
Not for nothin', but you could tell, those donuts looked good.
[Laughter]
The glazed sugar. In the cabinet. I want those.
[Woman] He does a good job. And, seeing refugees
as national treasures,
and someone who does not want a handout.
He didn't want money.
He wanted his product to sell for itself.
And the community helped.
[Woman] I'm biased, but I am a fan of refugees.
This one checks all the boxes. Right?
You've got great food, great hearts in the community,
and people coming in from thousands of miles away.
[Gayle King] Anybody with a heart
should be biased,
when you look at a story like that.
Thank you, John Blackstone.
[All] Yeah, thank you.