Turkish Immigrant Goes From Homeless To Famous But Remains Humble
At a young age, Hakki Akdeniz and his family immigrated from Turkey to Canada in 1997. In 2001, Hakki Akdeniz then ventured on his own and moved to New York City with only $240 in his pocket with hopes to quickly land a job. Unfortunately, his money ran out before he had a chance to find and job and establish himself. Hakki Akdeniz ended up homeless.
Home Is A Homeless Shelter
He found a homeless shelter in New York City, where he could stay until he could find a job and get back on his feet. He finally found a job working as a dishwasher in a pizzeria. Hakki’s dream was to one day own his own pizzeria.
A Dream Comes True
In 2009, Hakki Akdeniz finally fulfilled his dream and opened Hakki Pizza in Manhattan. He later named his Pizzeria Champion Pizza. In the beginning, the business was very slow for Hakki so in an effort to save money he slept at his shop.
Hakki Becomes Famous
In 2010, he entered a New York Pizza competition, where he wooed onlookers with his unique talent of whirling a flaming pizza crust over his head. He gained a lot of media attention noting his now-famous talent. It wasn’t long after, that Champion Pizza became one of the busiest pizzerias in lower Manhattan.
Humble And Grateful
Hakki remains humble even after opening a total of eight Champion Pizzas in New York City. He has never forgotten his days of poverty, being homeless, and living in a shelter. He will always be grateful for those who helped him through his most difficult times. In an effort to “give back”, Hakki hits the streets of Manhattan weekly to feed those that need it most. He pays his respects to the homeless by giving them free meals, only remembering all too well what it was like to be homeless.
Hakki has a popular Instagram page where he frequently posts pictures of celebrities he meets as well as updates.
“At one point I didn’t have a dollar to get once slice,” he said. “Today I’m donating a thousand slices.”
Feeding The Homeless
Hakki heads to the streets to deliver his pizzas regardless of the weather conditions. His homeless friends look forward to their weekly feasts of Hakki’s delicious pizza. Hakki hopes to inspire others to give back like he does.
Another Dream
However, Hakki has another dream. He would like to own a homeless shelter of his own one day, to honor the shelter that helped him turn his life around. He would like to offer assistance to those who need it most. Every homeless person has a story of their own. Most homeless people do not choose to be homeless, it’s just a life event that unfortunately happens. It is always important to remember each and every homeless person is someone’s child.
A True Inspiration
Hakki’s story is an inspiration to all. He started out penniless and now owns a chain of Champion Pizzerias. He has never forgotten the endless days he struggled to achieve his dream. Nor has he forgotten what it was like to have nothing. This story should provide many people with the inspiration to follow their dreams and remember those that helped them along the way. Sharing acts of kindness is the most humble way to show appreciation and remember those that did.
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