Neighbour Charles Ramsey speaks to media near the home on the 2200 block of Seymour Avenue, where three missing women were rescued in Cleveland on May 6, 2013.Scott Shaw/The Associated Press
Charles Ramsey became an Internet celebrity after he helped save Amanda Berry, who was being held captive in a living nightmare in Cleveland. Ramsey's popularity was due in large part to the colourful way in which he recounted putting down his Big Mac to come to Berry's assistance. Now, Ramsey may not have to ever pay for a burger ever again.
More than a dozen restaurants in Ohio have promised Ramsey free burgers for the rest of his life, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
The restaurant where Ramsey works as a dishwasher had at first created a burger in his honour – the Ramsey Burger – and now the restaurant's partner, who operates four of the restaurants offering Ramsey free burgers, has decided to offer Ramsey this larger tribute.
"We want to honour our local here with local food," Scott Kuhn of Driftwood Restaurant Group, told the newspaper. "He stopped his meal midway through to help those women. We're now making sure he has other opportunities to go out and fully enjoy his burger."
Kuhn added that a "Chuck card" is being printed as we speak and will be given to Ramsey, who is currently travelling, when he returns. All Ramsey will have to do is show the card, good for life, and he will get a free burger, Kuhn said.
Surprisingly, of all the restaurants lining up to offer Ramsey free food, McDonald's is not one of them. But that's not to say the burger giant isn't going to reward Ramsey in some way. When Ramsey first became a meme, the company tweeted: "We salute the courage of Ohio kidnap victims & respect their privacy. Way to go Charles Ramsey – we'll be in touch."
There's been no reaction yet from Ramsey about the many offers of free burgers. But he did tell Anderson Cooper in an earlier interview that any reward money for finding the three women held captive should go to them, not him.
"I tell you what you do, you give it to them," he said. "Because if folks been following this case since last night, and they been following me since last night you know I got a job anyway."
Dave McGinn