Chef's Restaurant salutes hometown hero Darnell Barton

After the story broke about the heroic act of NFTA bus driver Darnell Barton - who pulled over to rescue a woman in distress - Chef's Restaurant decided to take action.

While driving teenage school children home in Buffalo on Oct. 18, Barton stopped a woman from jumping off an Elmwood Avenue overpass onto a highway below. To honor this action, Chef's Restaurant offered Barton a gift of four Buffalo Sabres tickets and dinner at the restaurant. The gift is from the Billittier family, along with others in Western New York.

Since then, others from across the country, including billionaire businessman Donald Trump, have offered to send Barton gifts.

Later today, Darnell will visit Chef's Restaurant at 291 Seneca St., Buffalo, to pick up his Sabres tickets and dinner certificate from owner Louis J. Billittier Jr.

"Offering some tickets and dinner for Darnell and his family is the least we could do," Billittier said. "He is a hometown hero who has inspired the world with what he did."

Mary Beth Billittier added, "We read in The Buffalo News that Mr. Barton wants to establish a foundation for people struggling with depression. We wish him good luck and hope to be able to help him again in the future."

Chef's Restaurant recently celebrated 90 years in business. The Billittiers manage a foundation in honor of their late parents, continuing the family mission of philanthropy in the Western New York community.