A young college student has gone viral for going out of his way to help a customer dining at a seafood restaurant he worked at in North Carolina. Lee Bondurant, a 51-year-old man who has cere-bral pa-lsy, was dining out with his mother and was finding it difficult to eat his food when Five, a college student working at 42nd Street Oyster Bar, stepped in to help the honorary Marine.
Linda, Lee Bondurant’s mother, shared an image of Five feeding him with a heartwarming message about the waiter’s act of kindness on Facebook, which has since gone viral. Five worked at the restaurant to pay his tuition fee.”That was the ultimate kindness he showed me. I really appreciate what he did, an act of kindness,” said Lee, according to a report by Braincharm.
Linda wrote: 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 to show Lee’s total respect. Let’s me know there are still decent and compassionate people left in our country. Pay it forward for FIVE! Lee Bondurant is quite independent and can carry out most of his day to day activities but has tro*ble eating due to the limited use of his hands.
Linda said Bondurant doesn’t seek help from others to carry out basic tasks even if it’s difficult for him. A key part of his identity is his work. Bondurant has been working at the same job for more than 25 years, as a store assistant at a local grocery store. The grocery chain, however, has been shutting down stores meaning Bondurant could lose his job. “I will really miss it. I’m really going to miss everyone, doing my job. It’s like being with family here,” said Bondurant.
Linda’s idea of going out for dinner on Memorial Day was to help take his mind off the work situation. Accompanied by his mother, Bondurant was out having dinner at the bar on Memorial Day. Linda was helping feed Lee but the latter was ada-mant about eating by himself. Five, who spotted Linda struggling to feed Lee, stepped in and asked if the honorary marine had tasted oysters. On being told Bondurant had not, Five brought them oysters and asked if he could serve him. Linda said Bondurant is fiercely independent and has worked hard over the years to earn it.
Linda says Five offered help in a manner that didn’t make Bondurant uncomfortable with the latter even welcoming help. “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 emba*rass Lee. Just offering [to] share in the experience,” wrote Linda. All those present at the restaurant were moved by the waiter’s kindness.
“Lee is such a positive person. He has never 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,” said Linda. Bondurant is very patr!otic and has been so passionate about the Marine community that he was made an honorary marine. “For a total stranger to come up really touches a mother’s heart, especially when your child [has] special needs,” added Linda.
The post on Facebook has already received more than 17,000 reactions, hundreds of comments, and has been shared 1.5k times. On his part, Five downplayed his actions. “Seafood is best eaten h*t, so I didn’t want her food to get cold. I didn’t want his food to get cold. I just wanted to help a fellow man out,” he said.
Five, who doesn’t use Facebook, was informed by his boss of his viral post. Five allegedly said,”‘Shares and likes? I had to ask people ‘what does this stuff mean?’ I’m going into the gas station and somebody wants to buy me gas, I’m like no! I’ve gotten letters from Austria, Australia, Canada, different states. I’ve never gotten that much attention in all my life.” Lee and Five got together once more to celebrate Lee’s birthday at the restaurant.
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