Duluth Food Truck Owner Organizes Benefit for Goodland Woman Battling Cancer

DULUTH, Minn.– As a Goodland woman is battling breast cancer again, one food truck owner in Duluth is looking to help the Iron Range family any way they can and they’re inviting the Twin Ports community to do the same this Saturday.

Up on the Iron Range, 31 year old Elizabeth Johnson has been battling Triple-Positive Breast Cancer over the last year. Now, a family she’s never met is putting on an event to help raise money for her and enjoy some good food.

Troy Fralich is the owner of the Tig’s Smok’n Pig BBQ food truck that goes around Duluth selling their barbeque at spots like Duluth Cider. But they weren’t just selling food there Thursday, they were also letting people know about a benefit for Elizabeth and her family this weekend.

“We’re looking forward to just really the community getting together to raise money for this great family,” said Fralich.

The benefit will be at Harley-Davidson in Hermantown on Saturday from 12-5 p.m. where over 500 lbs. of meat and $1,200 worth of door prizes will be available. With all of the barbeque sold going to help Elizabeth’s family pay for their extensive medical costs.

“It was a simple thing that my wife saying ‘let’s try to help out,’” said Fralich. “Next thing you know we’ve got all these people on board helping out and coming together and I think that’s what the world needs now.”

Fralich has never met Elizabeth but knew her family through a mutual friend. After having cancer impact his brother in-law, he knows how tough the process can be emotionally and financially and wants to do whatever he can to help even though they’ve never met face to face.

“Can’t believe that community support. Especially considering that it’s all people they don’t know,” he said

On top of all proceeds going to Elizabeth, employees at the food truck are also donating all of their tips to the family. Something the workers say is a no-brainer.

“This is what we should be doing. It doesn’t matter, for us it’s just another day but to them, what’s this going to mean to them? So I feel great,” said Dani Smith, an employee at Tig’s Smok’n Pig Barbeque.

If you’re unable to make it to the event on Saturday, donations can be made to their GoFundMe page.