One day in October 2021, Sam Crowe asked his grandmother, Peggy Winckowski, if his friends could come over the following Wednesday and enjoy her “legendary breakfast.” Like any grandson, Sam loved his grandma’s meals, and she was more than happy to have his friends over. They came over the following Wednesday, and they’ve been enjoying her breakfast every Wednesday since.
This is how it all started. Every Wednesday, school starts late at Bishop DurBough High School, and Sam and his friends used to meet at a diner for breakfast. However, one day, Sam declared: ‘My grandma can cook better than this.” The following week, he invited them to his grandma’s house. That’s how a horde of hungry teenagers would show up at Grandma Peggy’s home every week to enjoy her renowned pancake batter, fry up eggs and bacon, and eat fruits.
This became their Wednesday Breakfast Club, where they shared food and stories and received grandma’s famed hugs.
An unfortunate turn of events
Tragedy struck in July 2022, and Grandma Peggy and the Breakfast Club got the worst news possible. Sam Crowe had been involved in a hit-and-run accident, and unfortunately, he lost his life at only 15.
On the day of his death, this tight-knit group congregated at Grandma Peggy’s house to console her. No parent or grandparent dreams about it, and everybody is hurting.
“We were all grieving with grandma,” said Jeremy Roeder, 17, one of Sam’s friends from Bishop DuBourg High School. “She’s basically family to all of us, and Sam was, too.”
Their warmth and concern were a godsend to Peggy Winckowski. She also took the opportunity to console Sam’s friends, who had also lost a dear friend at a very young age. They came every day for the whole week.
“To be 15 years old and to lose your best friend, it’s got to be so hard for them to understand,” said Grandma Peggy. “There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t talk about Sam.”
Grandma honors Sam’s memory by keeping the Wednesday Breakfast Club alive
When the summer holiday ended and the first week of the school year began, Peggy told Sam’s friends they could still come for breakfast. All members of the Breakfast Club showed up, and surprisingly, they brought new members.
“They all give me a hug as they come in,” said Winckowski, 66. “They call me Grandma Peggy.”
The tradition that began with a few teenage boys grew to 30 regular members, including sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Sometimes, even Sam’s parents and other community members show up. She has become everybody’s grandma and a source of strength for many kids, both figuratively and literally.
“He would want us to continue, so we’re going to continue it,” said Roeder. “We’re all there for each other.”
Another student echoes Roeder’s words and is thankful for Grandma Peggy’s kindness and radiance. “Grandma Peggy just brings everyone together. She cares for us a lot. She really cares for us.”
A lesson in kindness
Grandma Peggy wakes up at 5 a.m. every Wednesday to prepare breakfast for the teens, who arrive around 7 a.m. She says spending time with Sam’s schoolmates makes her feel closer to him.
She catered for the kids’ breakfast for the first year from her pocket. However, when the story aired, local businesses, community members, and parents at the high school chipped in to help with groceries and other expenses. Still, Grandma Peggy says she would keep the Breakfast Club going even if she did not get external support, not because she is rich, but because she is willing. This is despite having to take care of her husband, who has Parkison’s disease and dementia, and being an older person who needs care herself.
Grandma Peggy has only one wish: “I hope they can pay it forward when they get older.”
She is right. Experts say kindness uplifts the giver and the community simultaneously. It can help alleviate pain, stress, and anxiety.
