ANN ARBOR, MI — Harriet Seaver typically begins Thanksgiving by going to work.

At Tios Mexican Cafe, a family business founded in 1986, Seaver and others are hard at work in the kitchens. But the front door is locked. The restaurant is closed. And the workers aren’t making nachos or burritos, they’re making turkey, stuffing and green bean casseroles.

Later in the day, they will deliver Thanksgiving meals to patients, families and staff in the children’s intensive care units at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor. They’ve been doing this in some capacity for 26 years. Seaver has never asked for any credit.

“I’ve never gone because there’s no way I could go in and see those families and those kids,” Seaver said, saying she’d get too emotional. “(My family) would go and they’d come back and be like 'Oh mom, good thing you didn’t go. They’re all in tears.”

“Angels in the night”

For families that unexpectedly end up at Mott over the holiday, some are very grateful someone thought of them, if only for a few moments, said Brian Barnes, a “unit host” at the pediatric intensive care unit within Mott Children’s Hospital.

“Tios has remained, quietly and generously, (bringing) us food from their restaurant,” Barnes said. “All of a sudden, these guys came through with.. all of the traditional food that one would have at home, and they would bring it right to the ICU."

A lot of the patients within the unit are very critical, but thanks to the efforts of the Tios group, everyone gets to join in and have a Thanksgiving meal, Barnes said. He’s witnessed upwards of 100 patients and their parents coming to get food in a single year, he said.

In addition to the home-cooked fixings, Tios will also bring desserts and baked goods donated by Grand Traverse Pie Company and others, Seaver said.

“It’s really a tradition that’s steeped in love amongst the people who do it," Seaver said. “They’re always pleased when we call them each year.”

While Barnes and his coworkers would set up the meals and serve the families, Seaver and her team remained anonymous and behind the spotlight, Barnes said. They’ll quietly call later on to pick up their equipment, he said.

“They would just disappear like angels in the night,” Barnes said. “They’re caring and just giving wholeheartedly, its so amazing to see.”

Seeing dads “cashed out” on waiting room couches after eating a home-cooked meal, just like a Thanksgiving at home, brings great joy to Barnes, knowing a bit of normalcy has been given back to the families, he said.

“We have served probably not only the ICU, but several of the other areas in the hospital would also join us on Thanksgiving, get a meal, watch the football game just like they were at home,” Barnes said. “For a few moments, it felt like they were at home for them."

Richer traditions

Ann Arbor resident Ken Utsunomiya first met Seaver when he hired Tios to cater a work event, he said. Now that his sons are older, his family has volunteered with Seaver’s Thanksgiving kitchen for the past three years, he said. The kids would be upset if Seaver ever said they didn’t need their help on a given year, said Kayla Utsunomiya, Ken’s wife.

“Even if our kids move away and are not able to come back, we still live in town, so we’ll probably still come,” Ken Utsunomiya said. “We’re lucky that we’re able to have this time available Thanksgiving day.”

The Utsunomiyas and another family, the Roes, began volunteering together. Because their extended families live out of state and they don’t travel for the holiday, they added the venture to their annual “friendsgiving” celebrations, Kayla Utsunomiya said.

“This just makes our tradition richer, more layers,” Kayla Utsunomiya said.

As a nurse, Kayla Utsunomiya said she knows how appreciative the staff will also be for these meals. To be able to tell the families something special is happening is very meaningful to them, she said.

“It’s not like you have to be highly skilled to do this, you just have to be willing to get your hands dirty,” Ken Utsunomiya said. “We encourage anyone else to (volunteer), if they can find opportunities.”

After the deed is done, Seaver returns to the restaurant and has a family and friends Thanksgiving meal, she said.

To Seaver’s family, it’s not Thanksgiving if they don’t bring Thanksgiving to others, she said.

“I guess I’m in this for the long haul," Seaver said. “It’s been a wonderful tradition for our family."

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