John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's Pizza, attended the funeral of 22-year-old Gordon "Gordo" Schaffer, an employee who was recently murdered during a late shift at the store's Columbia, Tenn. location.
The funeral was held on Saturday in Spring Hill, Tenn., and Schaffer's sister, Devan Cronin, said her family was visited by the CEO before the service took place, according to The Courier-Journal. She wrote in a Facebook post that Schnatter also paid for her brother's funeral service and medical bills.
"We never once imagined that this would touch anyone high up in the Papa's John corporate office, let alone, John Schnatter," Cronin wrote. "He was visibly distraught when speaking to my family about the tragic loss of my brother and it was apparent that he didn't come just to pay lip service."
Schaffer was reported to be the only employee working at the restaurant on Oct. 20th when two men in masks came in and told him to give them the money in the cash register, Business Insider reported. The robbers shot Schaffer in the chest even though he did what he was told, and he died at Vanderbilt Medical Center.
Cronin said her brother liked going to music festivals and that he lived in the moment, describing him as "kind of a hippie kid."
Police arrested a 17-year-old last week, and the suspect current faces charges for Schaffer's murder, along with charges related to gunpoint robberies of two Dollar General stores in early October, The Courier-Journal reported.
Prosecutors intend to have the case moved from juvenile court to adult court.
Schnatter's visit was not the only thing Papa John's did to pay respect for Schaffer's death. Cronin wrote on the Remembering Gordo Schaffer Facebook group that about 25 delivery cars were sent to the funeral by the pizza restaurant and escorted by Spring Hill police, Business Insider reported.
"This display of support was so much more meaningful than any monetary donation," Cronin said.