Waiter Michael Garcia told a man making comments about a
5-year-old boy with Down syndrome that he couldn't serve him.
Waiter's aren't usually praised for refusing to serve
customers, but one waiter is facing a tidal wave of support and
praise after he did just that.
On Jan. 16, Michael Garcia, a waiter at Laurenzo's, a
steakhouse in Houston, refused to serve a customer who was making
comments about a 5-year-old boy named Milo with Down syndrome
sitting nearby, Fox News reported. Fox said the customer
got up and moved his family farther away from Milo.
The customer also reportedly said, "Special needs
children need to be special somewhere else."
That's when Garcia stepped in and told the man, "Sir, I
won't be able to serve you."
The man and his family left the restaurant, but the
incident has since gone viral, inspiring an outpouring of praise
for Garcia.
Laurenzo's facebook page has seen a slew of posts
thanking Garcia.
"Thank you Mr. Garcia, I have a 17 year old son with
Down syndrome and I love to hear about people like yourself
standing up for people with disabilities," Facebook user Rick
Parker posted.
Tisha Baker wrote, "Thank you so much for speaking up
when most just turn away."
The praise has not been limited to Texans.
"BRAVO Michael! BRAVO! STANDING OVATION from
Massachusetts!" Rick Stoddard posted.
Milo's mother, Kim Castillo, posted
online the night of the incident that "Tonight was a first."
She wrote that she didn't think much of the family asking to be
moved away from her and her son, but was impressed by Garcia's
response.
"The waiter promptly told them he was offended by their
comment and refused to serve them. Yay for people like Michael,"
she wrote.
