Waiter Feeds Man With Cerebral Palsy — Photo Of Kind Gesture Goes Viral

A waiter is being hailed as a hero for approaching a man with cerebral palsy struggling with his meal and feeding him. The photo showing the simple act of kindness has gone viral. The heartwarming image shows a waiter helping a man who was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease.

For Lee Bondurant of Raleigh, North Carolina, doing the simple everyday tasks were steadily becoming a challenge. Having been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the man has been trying to come to terms with the harsh realities he would have to face on a daily basis with tasks that are considered mundane by most human beings. Hence, when he was sitting with his mother for a meal at a restaurant, he didn’t expect a waiter to step up and offer to help him finish his meal.

The waiter, who is only identified by his nickname Five, came to know the restaurant where he worked had a patron who suffered from cerebral palsy and is unable to use his hands. Instead of going about his schedule serving customers at the busy restaurant, Five decided to approach the man, who had arrived for his afternoon meal with his mother, and casually strike up a conversation, shared Bondurant’s mother Linda Bondurant-Snow of Garner, North Carolina,

“Lee is such a positive person. He never has lost faith in his fellow man. If anything, Lee lifts others up. This is not only coming from me as his mother. You could ask anyone at his job, or [a] friend.”

The incident occurred at 42nd St. Oyster Bar in Raleigh late last month. Fifty-one-year-old Bondurant had joined his mother for the Memorial Day weekend meal. Since Lee couldn’t use his hands to feed himself, his mother was doing her best to feed them both, reported WKAL. However, the task was getting a little difficult, if not embarrassing. Watching the duo struggle with their meal, their server, a college student, greeted them and casually offered them assistance, noted the mother,

“He casually came over and asked Lee if he had ever had oysters. Lee told him he had not. So, [Five] asked [if he] could he serve him his first. It was smooth not to embarrass Lee. Just offering [to] share in the experience.

“For a total stranger to come up really touches a mother’s heart, especially when your child is special needs,”

Emotionally moved, Linda posted the story on Facebook, where the photo and accompanying short narration has gone viral. The post reads:

“When you dine at 42nd Street Oyster Bar please ask for a server by the name of “FIVE” (a college student) He saw me trying to eat and help Lee. He insisted on helping showing Lee total respect. Let’s me know there are still decent and compassionate people left in our country. Pay it forward for FIVE!”

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=476674955869474&set=a.115934558610184.1073741830.100005809203400&type=3

As expected, the management at the establishment has been very happy with the young man, who seems to be supporting his college education with whatever he earns working at the restaurant. As for Lee, he says he is thoroughly impressed by the kindhearted and selfless gesture by Five.

“That was the ultimate kindness he showed me. I usually don’t want people to help me. I like to be independent and do for himself but I was touched by the server’s generosity and let my guard down. I really appreciate what he did, an act of kindness.”

Lee is determined to meet Five again and hence is planning to have his birthday, coming up in July, at the same restaurant, reported ABC Eyewitness News.

Cerebral palsy is a steadily degenerative congenital disorder of movement, muscle tone, or posture. Affected people have severe problems with simple coordination and need constant supervision. Though mentally alert and active, people affected with cerebral palsy need help with the simplest of tasks, but that doesn’t mean they are any different from us, added Lee’s mother, reported ABC News Radio.

The internet recently praised another waiter who approached a man with no hands and proceeded to feed him.

“They are ‘normal’ on the inside. [They] have the same feelings we all do.”

[Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]