Waiter hailed as hero after standing up for boy with Down syndrome

[joeybee12]

A Houston waiter who refused to serve a customer last week did not lose his job. Instead, Michael Garcia is being celebrated for standing up for a little boy with Down syndrome, with people stopping to shake his hand at the restaurant where regulars are made to feel like part of the family.

Five-year-old Milo Castillo has lots of friends in preschool and loves to give hugs.One of those regulars, Kim Castillo, was at Laurenzo’s Prime Rib in Houston last week when several waiters stopped by her table. Her 5-year-old son, Milo, who has Down syndrome and whose speech is a little delayed, was showing off his new words and talking about his birthday the week earlier.

A family sitting nearby asked to move away from the Castillo family's table, and a man in the group made a disparaging remark about Milo.

“I heard the man say, ‘Special needs children need to be special somewhere else,’” Garcia told NBC affiliate KPRC-TV in. “My personal feelings took over, and I told him, ‘I’m not going to be able to serve you, Sir.’”

http://www.today.com/moms/waiter-hailed-hero-after-standing-boy-down-syndrome-1B8038223

[HockeyMom]

1. Having worked with both special needs children, AND adults

We took them out into the community so they could experience and learn real world social skills, AND for the local community to experience THEM and see that they are just human beings like we all are.

I suppose that couple in the restaurant would have been HORRIFIED to see a group of special needs ADULTS, never mind one little child with his parents, eating in a restaurant along with everyone else.

[joeybee12]

3. Yeah. I can only imagine how awful that family would have been...

with Adults with special needs next to them...the jerks.

[RedCappedBandit]

13. I work with adults

The looks we get sometimes..

But there are heartwarming moments, too.

[bullwinkle428]

2. Isn't it amazing what kind of positive ripple effect takes place when one brave person

steps up to do the right thing in a given situation?

K&R.

[joeybee12]

8. Agree...that's why I like stories like this one! nt

[HiPointDem]

14. +1

[monmouth3]

4. Milo is also adorable. What kind of people are out there?..n/t

[libdem4life]

5. Love the "newest" interpretation of the old sign We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone

There was a similar story on DU about a gay couple in line for purchasing food ... similar "remarks" ... and the rest of the line schooled them and they, also, were refused service.

Then I remembered the soccer player over in Europe ... idiots in the stand mouth off ... two entire soccer teams walked off and refused to play. That video had me in tears.

Evolve, at least keep your mouth shut, or stay home.

Heartwarming...all.

[nick of time]

6. Good for this waiter,

and good for the management for standing behind the waiter and not terminating him.

[Lizzie Poppet]

7. Good for Mr. Garcia!

Hey, I understand not wanting to be near loud kids (special needs or otherwise) during a nice restaurant dinner. I get that. But you can discretely ask for a new table...you don't have to be a dick about it.

[allan01]

9. re:Waiter hailed as hero after standing up for boy with Down syndrome

excuse me. excuse me ! .where would be somewhere else exactly be ? no body answers that question. like , telling the homeless to move on. where to? who do these folk think they are . had a simalr incident on an airplane once . would have loved to throw that person off the plane whilst on the tarmac . we were on loading a person of special needs via a lift and the guy next to me spouts and sez , " i wish disabled people didnt have to travel". we were going from stockton ca to las vegas. the nerve .grr. this woman deserves a big

[santamargarita]

10. Insensitive right wing assholes

[Lurker Deluxe]

11. Does not surprise me one bit ...

I live in Houston, and like I have repeated people who act ignorant and say stupid shit are either ignored, shuned, or called out. This is something I notice where ever I go in this very diverse city, there is no place you will end up at where you will not be sharing the venue with the mixture of cultures from around the world.

Don't like gays or minorities, better stay in your house, there is no where in this city you can go that you will not be in the company of "others".

Acting a fool over someone who is handicapped will certainly get you shuned, you better hold that door f'tard. One of the cashiers at the Randalls across the street from the house is handi-capped with one bad arm ... his line is always the longest and no one minds the wait. He knows me by name and most all of the other regulars, making some rude comment about him in that line will get you dressed down a couple notches.

Shame so many people think everyone in Texas is an ignorant redneck.

[SheilaT]

12. I am old enough that when I was growing up

I never saw anyone with Down Syndrome or any special needs people at all.

By the time my two sons came along (now 25 and 30) it was quite different, and I was very glad they were getting the chance to be with and interact with kids who were very different from themselves. And I'm so glad that waiter did what he did.