Support for Justine Rickman From Her Fat Boys and Savvy Sliders Family

Justine Rickman has been a valued part of the Fat Boys Pizza and Savvy Sliders family in Covington, Louisiana since March of 2024. If you have ever met Justine, you remember her. Her beautiful smile, her kind heart, and her outstanding personality. She is someone who truly shows up for others.

On Saturday, March 21, 2026, Justine was scheduled for her usual morning shift. When she did not arrive, her coworkers immediately became concerned. This was completely out of character for her. One employee, Aiden Eberlin, felt strongly that something was not right and urged that someone go check on her. Operating Partner William Eberlin drove to her home, where he found the property surrounded by police vehicles and crime scene tape. He was informed by officers that Justine had been attacked by one of her own dogs, her pitbull. The attack lasted for over an hour, and throughout it, Justine fought relentlessly to stay alive.

Justine was rushed to Lakeview Hospital in Covington with life threatening injuries and severe blood loss. Due to the extent of her injuries, she was airlifted to University Medical Center in New Orleans. There, she underwent multiple emergency surgeries. Doctors were forced to amputate her left arm in order to save her life. A second surgical team worked for hours to save her right arm, which, thankfully, was successful. She also sustained multiple other devastating injuries, including the loss of her left breast and severe trauma to her right leg.

Despite everything she has endured, Justine’s spirit remains incredibly strong. When we were able to be with her shortly after she woke up, she was fully herself. She was aware, grounded, and even joking with us. She was so grateful to see familiar faces and shared that she was determined this was not how she was going to go.

Even in the midst of everything, Justine showed us exactly who she is. She was warm, present, and even finding moments of humor. In a situation that would break most people, she was the one lifting the room.

That moment reminded us that while her injuries are severe, her spirit is very much intact.

Justine now faces a long and incredibly difficult road ahead. She will require additional surgeries, a prosthetic arm, extensive physical therapy, and ongoing emotional support. Due to the severity of her injuries, she will not be able to return to work.

While Justine’s family will be organizing a larger fundraiser in the near future to help with long term support, this effort is intended to help with her immediate needs during this critical time.

This includes:

• helping her son travel from Texas to be by her side, along with any other urgent family travel needs

• assisting with urgent day to day expenses

• easing the immediate financial strain during hospitalization and early recovery

Believe it or not, Justine’s actual middle name IS Love… and she has always taken care of others. This is our chance to show up for her.

We are also organizing a small in person fundraiser at Fat Boys in the coming weeks, where vendors will be donating kegs and pizza slices will be served by Fat Boys to support Justine locally. For those who are unable to attend, this link is being provided as a simple way to contribute and support her during this time.

This fundraiser is being organized by William Eberlin, Operating Partner, along with the Fat Boys and Savvy Sliders team.

Out of respect for Justine and her out-of-state family, we ask that this fundraiser be shared thoughtfully and kept within our local Northshore and surrounding communities. This effort is meant to support her immediate needs here at home for the next few months. Her family will be organizing a separate fundraiser in the coming days to reach a broader audience and support her long term recovery. So, to avoid any confusion at this early stage, please don’t tag Justine (aka Tina) on any socials. Let’s reserve that right for her families efforts.

If you are able to give, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. If not, your support and prayers truly mean more than you know!

Her Fat Boys and Savvy Sliders Family