Death of John Reagan
Unfortunately for the Reagans, the hits just kept on coming. As the costs of rebuilding their beloved restaurant kept skyrocketing further and further out of reach, John Reagan was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer which required a lot of treatment and a lot of money for medical bills. He died in 2017, just four years after Dot’s reopened. While I'm sure the reopening of Dot's is likely what he wanted, there's no doubt that the process was extremely stressful for the Reagans. It begs the question of how this stress may have impacted his health.
In his obituary, they discuss the reopening of Dot's, reflecting on how the support of their community was crucial to the rebuilding process. They mention that he won the Vermont Preservation Trust award for his "contribution to preserving Vermont's historic architecture." Even in his obituary, the importance of Dot's as a symbol of hope is clear.
The loss of John Reagan is still felt at Dot's today but his memory lives on, even in the smallest aspects of the diner you can feel his presence. Photos of John can be seen scattered on the walls, magnets on the refrigerator advertise restaurants from Long Island, where he was born, and above the bar sits a sign that reads "Save the Oak Beach Inn," referring to a Long Beach nightclub that sparked a youth movement to stop it's demolition while John was living there.
Despite all its been through and all it's lost, Dot's Restaurant keeps soldiering. Literal hell and high water couldn't keep the doors from opening every morning at 5:30 sharp- not for long anyways. Free coffee is still served on the porch every Sunday morning for anyone who wants it on their walk home for church. And yes- they even got their moose back.
