Downtown Tulsa Restaurant Serving Up Second Chances To Former Addicts

It's a week day, and the lunch rush is upon us at Take 2. As much of a rush as possible during a pandemic.

This time last year, you'd be hard pressed to find a seat inside, but still the pandemic isn't slowing down the kitchen, with more "to go" meals coming off the line.

And the pandemic isn't slowing down the progress and the mission behind this diner.

"It's amazing God kind of puts you where he wants you to be, and that's what happened here," said Tom Dittus.

Tom and his wife, Dawn, are the new managing partners of Take 2.

They say they were drawn to the restaurant by God to make a difference.

"We've seen this program in just this short period of time and seen some great success come out of here," Dittus said.

On the outside, and the inside, it looks like any other diner you would find downtown, but something good is happening and it starts in the kitchen.

"All my life I've pretty much been an addict, so going to prison it was a big wake-up call," said Trisha Hernandez.

Hernandez is a 42-year-old mother of seven, who started using drugs in her early 20s.

"I lost places where I lived, material things. I've been with my husband for 30 years, so our relationship was a little rocky; we're working on that," Hernandez said.

A painful loss came while she was in prison, learning her 28-year-old son died from a drug overdose.

"When it happened I got sad and felt the loss but not really until I got out of prison did I realize that he wasn't here, so I could show him that I love him," said Hernandez.

Victoria Swindell also understands the cycle of addiction.

For her, it always revolved around the death of a loved one.

She started using marijuana when she was 16 after her dad died from cancer. A gateway drug that lead to her to crack cocaine. But it was her marriage that turned her life around. Victoria was 12 years sober until a day in November of 2018 again spun her life out of control.

"My mom and I got into a fight on a Sunday over a cell phone bill," Swindell said. "I said some mean and hateful things, and Monday night we found her dead inside her home. I went back to using drugs to try to numb the pain."

This time Swindell turned to meth.

She and a friend were arrested when they sold to an undercover police officer. After four months of using, Victoria found herself behind bars.

"Even though it took 14 months of my life, I'm thankful for it because I would probably still be using," said Swindell.

For those in the program at Take 2, it's a 2nd chance to get back on their feet. And for the Dittus', it's a 2nd chance too.

"The pandemic made it just unsurvivable for us," said Dittus.

For 14 months, the couple owned the Swamp House, which is a restaurant known for its drip beef sandwich and gouda mac and cheese. Forced to take out another loan or close during the pandemic, they closed and then prayed.

"It's amazing how things work out, and it's just a situation where we had to close a door and it wasn't a week later that this one opened so, that's not all our doing. We're confident that God has a piece of this," Dittus said.

His employees, Hernandez and Swindell believe God is working in their lives, too!

"Every morning I wake up I thank God for this new life," said Hernandez.

Trisha plans on working on the relationship with her kids and her husband, with goals of being a better person and staying sober.

Victoria has two sisters waiting for her in Amarillo. She believes as strange as it sounds her time in prison has brought them all closer together and she's looking forward to making up for lost time.