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UPDATE: Helping hand for Langley’s beloved ‘Hotdog Guy’

A food vendor’s medical issues prompted locals to raise money for him. He was back at work Friday.
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Jodi Marsh, left, with her friend Jill Craven and Jill’s sons Gabriel and Dominick put up signs on Miguel’s hot dog stand Friday morning, part of a fundraising effort. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance)

UPDATE: Miguel was back at work Friday, for part of the day.

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A simple encounter with Langley’s “hotdog guy” is one reason a local woman launched a gofundme campaign to help him.

Jodi Marsh ordered a dog from Miguel, owner of Gypsy Bite outside of the Langley Real Canadian Superstore.

She didn’t realize she didn’t have any cash until he’d made the order.

As she apologized, Miguel just cheerfully said he’d trust her to pay him the next time – which she did.

“Every time I would go to Superstore, I would hear him laugh and see him smile,” Marsh said.

Though she didn’t buy from his stand often, she always appreciated his presence, as did many other customers.

But Miguel’s Gypsy Bite stand has been closed since June, as he deals with health issues.

Marsh was talking online to friends the evening of July 27, and they were tossing around ideas for how to help him out. With his store closed, they worried he might have financial problems.

By 11 p.m., Marsh had set up a gofundme campaign. By Friday morning, it had already raised $875 of its $6,000 goal.

As of Aug. 2, the fundraiser had hit $5,445 of its goal.

Miguel has many fans and regular customers – since his stand closed, its exterior has been plastered with get well notices.

ALSO READ: Well wishes pour in for Langley’s hotdog guy

This is the second time public support has overflowed for Miguel. When Superstore considered closing his independent stand due to a change in company polices several years back, a groundswell of local support kept Gypsy Bite open.

Now Marsh is making sure she can get every dollar collected directly to Miguel.

With Miguel back to work part time, Marsh met with him and informed him of the gofundme campaign. She’ll sit down with him to arrange a full transfer of funds in the near future.



Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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