Friends and customers mourn beloved Fat Belly’s owner lost in tragic fire

ST. LANDRY PARISH — Tonight, heartbreak fills Opelousas as the community mourns the loss of a beloved restaurant owner. Jermaine Doucet, the man behind Fat Belly’s Diner, died in a fire that devastated both family and friends.

Flowers, teddy bears, and balloons now line the front of Fat Belly’s Diner, creating a makeshift memorial to honor Doucet’s memory. Debra Thomas, a longtime friend, shared how his kindness touched countless lives. “He just helped everybody. He would feed everybody,” Thomas said.

Friend Chance Joubert remembered Jermaine as someone who lit up every room he entered. “He held the light that everyone needed. He was funny, straight to the point—nothing more, nothing less,” Joubert said.

According to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, a fire broke out at the din