COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (KMOX) — Before I could talk to cofounder Mike Radosevich, a longtime customer was shopping.
Marla explained why she comes in to check out the rubs and sauces and spends at least $40 every trip.
"Everything's good. I've never gotten anything that hasn't been amazing," she said.
I was curious to know why a man who'd been in law enforcement for 15 years left to create rubs six and a half years ago. At 41, Radosevich said he had a lot of bad days and a lot of bad nights.
"I went to bed many times, you know, with some tears in my eyes with some of the stuff I saw. And it's not natural for people to see that on a daily basis," Radosevich said.
He said the shooting death of Pastor Fred Winters during a Sunday sermon in his Maryville church 10 years ago was a rough day. Radosevich was one of the first on the scene. In the three years after that, Radosevich dealt with his mother's alzheimer diagnosis, his sister's cancer and a divorce. And he was also diagnosed with PTSD.
I feel very comfortable talking about this; I never had any intrusive thoughts of hurting myself, but it was just the everyday struggles and grinds of not being in control of everything. And knowing so many police, men and women in the first responder/military field committing suicide daily. And we just want shed light on the men and women who are doing what they're doing on a daily basis.
Which is why proceeds from every sale go to first responder and military organizations. Through it all, he says barbecuing was only thing keeping him together, but it was entering amateur barbecue contests with his cofounder Chris Bohnemeier, that led to the creation of Code 3 Spices that is now shipping around the world and even to some Navy ships at sea.
"Tonight when I go home, I'm gonna be barbecuing on my backporch — it's my getaway. I love to do it. I love cooking food for other people. I still think best gift you can gift anyway is to feed 'em."
Code 3 Spices & BBQ Supply is located at 302 E. Main St. in Collinsville, Illinois.
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