COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Todd Studer thought his business might be over.
Last week, his Council Bluffs studio — home to Loess Hills Media and Podcasts — was burglarized. Most of his equipment was gone.
"Not everything, but everything that was needed to take me down out of production was gone," he said.
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With only his phone, Studer turned to social media to tell his audience he didn't know when — or if — he'd be back with his local podcasts. Police also told him there was very little chance he'd recover his equipment.
The post drew an outpouring of support. Meanwhile Juan Escobedo, owner of Juanitos Mexican Restaurant, was trying to track him down. Initially, Escobedo didn't know the equipment was stolen and paid someone, who walked in off the street, $250 for the equipment.
Studer's first reaction was skepticism when he got Juan's first message.
"My first instinct is, okay, someone's scamming me," Studer said.
But Escobedo kept trying. His son, Ian, said they looked at a camera memory card and recognized Studer from a video he made at Juanito's a year ago.
"And I called my wife, 'You know, this is the guy. The food lover, come and eat here,'" Escobedo said.
Finally, Studer picked up the phone when Juan called again.
"And my jaw is dropping. And I'm like, all of my stuff is at this restaurant that I like to go to anyway," Studer said. "And I offered to pay him and he just refused."
Council Bluffs found its own way to repay Escobedo. After Studer shared the story online, business at Juanitos picked up. Escobedo said the restaurant was full on Friday.
For Studer, the experience carried a bigger message.
"Support the community that you're in. And community supporting each other. And, this is proof of what can happen. And I get to know this man a whole lot better now because, he said, his integrity wasn't for sale."
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