He's on the mend and back at the grill

Luis Osorio is back to his job managing a restaurant after two months of healing following a bad accident.

By JANE BOKUN
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 23, 2002

Luis Osorio never saw it coming.

The co-manager of a Tampa restaurant was traveling to work from his Clearwater home when his car died on Courtney Campbell Parkway.

[Times photo: Fraser Hale] Luis Osorio, a manager at the Garden Grille restaurant on W Hillsborough Avenue, shows off the card restaurant customers signed after he was seriously injured in an accident.

"I saw an open bait shop, and I started to walk there," said Osorio, 30.

But it was still dark at 5:30 a.m., and he was wearing dark clothes. Before he knew it, he was hit by a car.

He doesn't remember much after that.

Police say Osorio was struck by a car on an unlit service road in front of the bait shop. The driver stopped to help Osorio and called police. No charges have been filed against the driver.

Osorio spent four days in St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa after the June 13 accident. He had a concussion, fractured cheek bones, damage to his spleen, and stitches in his head and elbows.

During his two-month recovery, Osorio has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from his customers at the Garden Grille, 8425 W Hillsborough Ave. in Town 'N Country.

A sign in front of the popular cafe thanks guests for their prayers.

"When I was in the hospital, there were so many cards and flowers from our customers that one nurse asked if I was a rock star," he said.

Brenda Baskal, his fellow manager at the Garden Grille, also was surprised.

"We had local churches praying for Luis, and everyone was concerned," she said.

That included the Spanish-language prayer group at Incarnation Catholic Church. Fruit baskets, flowers and giant cards from customers were displayed in the restaurant and at the hospital.

Baskal and Osorio have worked together in Tampa Bay area restaurants since Osorio moved here from Pueblo, Mexico, at age 15.

"He worked his way up the ladder," Baskal said.

Along the way, Osorio, who lives in Parker's Landing, became a U.S. citizen.

Osorio is back at work part time at the Greek-American restaurant, mingling with the customers when he can.

The accident still is being investigated while Osorio counts his blessings. "I'm just happy to be able to come back and work at the restaurant," he said. "It's a miracle."

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