Restaurants have struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dino’s Italian Eatery is no different, estimating that business is down by about half.

Dzavid Cekic bought the Pittstown restaurant about a year ago and has owned other businesses in the past. His family is now trying to keep its business afloat, as Dzavid was hospitalized with COVID-19 more than a month and a half ago.

Dzavid’s children are handling most of the day-to-day operations at Dino’s. His son Adel is at the restaurant every day, often acting as manager while also juggling responsibilities for his full-time job.

Despite the workload, Adel says it’s been a no-brainer, and when it comes to family, they’ll do whatever it takes.

“Knowing how strong of a guy he is, just seeing him not doing too well just broke our hearts, and it was just tough, but we have to put our proud face and we have to keep the business going and making him proud,” says Adel.

Dzavid and his wife come from Montenegro, learning English as they went along, and they’re not ones for charity. But friends insisted on setting up a GoFundMe page. It’s already raised thousands of dollars.

“Just family, friends, people that I haven’t talked to in years and years and years, people he hasn’t seen in years and years, but it’s just so touching to see how a community can come together and they can help out,” says Adel.

The family says it is making things work, hoping to continue to serve customers.