Pizza place owner gives back to neighborhood dealing with flooding after heavy rain from Tropical Storm Debby

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — Over a week after Tropical Storm Debby made a second landfall in the Lowcountry many communities are still dealing with the flooding effects Debby caused. One local restaurant owner was looking for a way to give back after the storm.

Mike Pitera, owner of Pizza Modo Mio, used his culinary skills to help out those hit hardest by Edisto River flooding.

Pitera said he put out a Facebook notice to see who needed help and was flooded with responses.

“I just heard about the flooding coming in people getting stuck in their homes and as a restaurant owner the only thing I can do is provide food provide water and get to them so they can eat because they can’t leave,” Pitera said.

Pitera and his staff woke extra early to make sandwiches to pass out to the community in the Parker’s Ferry Road area which is suffering from heavy flooding. He had help from St. Paul’s Firefighter Brian Mitchum and his wife Melissa who have lived in the area their whole lives.

“There’s a lot of people who can’t get out their houses are underwater their driveways are underwater,” said Melissa Mitchum.

Brian Mitchum said many of the people have been trapped in their houses since Sunday.

“This is probably about the worst I’ve ever seen it, we’ve seen it high in a few spots but this is the closest to 17 feet I’ve ever seen.”

Many people tried to give Pitera compensation but he refused.

“It’s not about the money it’s not about getting on Facebook and saying look what I did, I want to help I’m the type of person who wants to help in any community and it means a lot because if I was in that situation if I was locked up without food, I would hope someone would do that for me.

If you’d like to show Mike some support — you can visit Pizza Modo Mio on Bees Ferry Road.