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In an April 2023 interview with Marty Martin, owner and operator of Truckin’Awesome food truck in Olivet, Media Production and Communication reporters here at The University of Olivet learned that Martin had a soft heart for feeding others, from his menu, or, for free.
Martin, parked in the Main Street lot on the Double Nickel site, also rented the standing white building there as a free food pantry.
“We’re here, just take what you need,” Martin told the students to relay to the community.
Months later, the truck was destroyed in a fire. Martin was undaunted, keeping the pantry open and rebuilding his business.
A new yellow and red truck opened last November, and it was back to business as usual, until earlier this spring: March 16, 2024. Darrin “Marty” Martin died unexpectedly at his Charlotte home.
Since then, his family, including his wife Dawn, and community members have worked together to close the business, and in early April, closed the food pantry as well. Future plans for the business and the service remain open.
The Truckin’Awesome page on Facebook has been maintained by the family, with heartfelt messages including: “…It's been almost two weeks since Marty has passed and so many have reached out to me in so many ways that I was a bit overwhelmed to be able to answer everyone. Please know that I truly appreciate each and every one of you.”
And, just recently: “To our food truck community, thank you for all the love and support during our time we were open and after Marty's passing. He is missed very much by so many. Life will not be the same without my husband and the dad, Papa, and friend he was. He will forever be our guardian angel. May all of you go forward with the amazing kindness you have given us and God bless all of you.”
Martin was proud of the pantry, even welcoming school and university students to stop and chat with him.
An adjunct professor here wrote about Martin, “He will be deeply missed by those of us who reside in Olivet year-round, and to countless students who have interacted with him other the last few years. It is difficult to overstate the impact his kindness and compassion have had on members of our community.”