Like This: Waiter Refused to Serve Couple Complaining About Special Needs Child
When Houston, Texas waiter Michael Garcia decided to take a stand against blatant discrimination he'd witnessed at work, he was worried he'd get fired. He had no idea that he'd become a hero on Facebook.
Garcia, photo right, has worked for Laurenzo's Steakhouse in Houston for the past two years, and had recently seated long-time customer Kim Castillo and her family, next to another group of regulars, who soon complained about being near the Castillos. It appears that Castillo's 5-year-old son Milo, who has Down's Syndrome, was bothering the family, and they had asked to be seated elsewhere.
Unfazed, Garcia stated that he had begun the process of moving the family to a new table when he overheard the father of the group he was moving state, in front of their children, "Special needs children need to be special somewhere else". At this point, Garcia stated that he could no longer be silent, and said to the man, "How could you say that? How could you say that about a beautiful five-year-old angel?".
Castillo was unaware of the incident at the time, stating that Milo had not been acting up any more than any other 5-year-old.
At this point, the family chose to leave the restaurant, and Garcia feared for his job, despite a belief he'd done the right thing. Laurenzo's Steakhouse, however, agreed with Garcia when told, and rather than punishing him for his refusal to serve a customer, took a stand alongside him.
Many online who have read about Garcia's actions have taken to Laurenzo's Facebook page, congratulating both the waiter and the restaurant for making the right decision and taking a stand against discrimination.
Here's a video covering the story, from ABC 13 in Houston:
Images courtesy Facebook
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