Mom of Frosty-Loving Daughter on Hospice Thanks Wendy’s Staff

TODAY.com caught up with Adam’s daughter, Mary Purdie, to hear more about the touching moment.

Purdie’s sister, Gretchen, was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2023, and her appetite is limited these days. “Every week,” Purdie explains. “Someone from our family, usually my mom, goes to Wendy’s and gets six chocolate Frostys.”

With significant mobility and communication difficulties after multiple brain surgeries and a terminal diagnosis, Gretchen chose hospice care in January of 2025.

Although many associate hospice only with care around the time of a person’s death, it actually just means that the goal shifts from treatment to quality of life, however long that may be. Medications are streamlined, and food might be more for comfort than nutrition. It’s a 24/7 job even with critical support from hospice staff, and Purdie’s family has moved to Palm Desert to help Gretchen and their parents.

“We have watched (Gretchen) endure this illness with more grace than any of us could have imagined,” says Purdie. “She adapted to her new normal and worked hard to improve her quality of life while we supported her every step of the way.”

In recent weeks though, her sister’s condition has noticeably declined. Purdie says they are grateful for their hospice team, a catalog of favorite movies on repeat, and the daily staples of protein shakes and a Wendy’s Frosty, drunk slightly melted with a straw.

When Adams arrived at her local Wendy’s to pick up the weekly supply recently, a staff member recognized her. “Hey, you’re late!” said the team member, handing over the drink tray, “No spoons, right?”

“Many days, there are very few reasons to smile while being a caregiver for her terminally ill daughter, but that interaction was a bright spot,” says Purdie. The whole family was touched that someone noticed the routine that is for them both life-sustaining and painful.

The internet is touched, too.

The Wendy’s Threads account has a well-deserved reputation for feral comedic posts, often at the expense of other restaurant chains, but in this case, many commenters tagged the account hoping for recognition for that staff member who provided an important moment of connection.

Purdie and her family say they appreciated reading others’ comments about similar moments in their lives.

Threader Kim Privor related a story about her mom going to Starbucks every day to order her husband’s favorite drink. At her mom’s first return after her father passed away, a barista asked, “No Tall Blonde today?”

“They were so lovely to her when she shared the news,” commented Privor. “it is so nice to be seen, especially on your hard days!!”

Others remember car rental staff reaching out after someone traveling routinely for cancer treatment died, or appreciate coffee shop employees who make a special needs family member’s day brighter, or are thankful for special batches of 7 a.m. chicken nuggets for a senior dog.

And Wendy’s definitely took note of the hubbub.

When reached for comment on this story, a Wendy’s spokesperson wrote:

Taking care of people comes first at Wendy’s, and this Palm Desert team member showed exactly what that means. With genuine care and compassion, they went above and beyond when it mattered most. A Frosty can be a simple treat or a small comfort on a hard day, and we’re honored to play even a small role in bringing comfort to this family during such a meaningful moment.

Wendy’s also reached out to Adams after all those tags on Threads.

“We happily await whatever they decide to send,” says Purdie, and they are touched by the recognition of their family’s difficult time.

“This period of our lives is so challenging, and it’s made us hyper aware of the good experiences, however seemingly small, that happen to us.