Supermarket Employee Gifted $100K in College Tuition After Helping Autistic Customer
A supermarket employee went viral earlier this week after being recorded while he helped teach an autistic customer how to stock the shelves in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The employee, Jordan Taylor, was stocking shelves at Rouses Market when he noticed Jack Ryan watching him. He decided to show him how to stock the shelves and the two worked together to stock milk and juice for almost half an hour.
Ryan’s dad decided to record the interaction on his phone. “I’m watching a miracle in action,” he said to a friend in the video.
Ryan’s sister, Delaney Edwards Alwosaibi, later posted the video on Facebook and expressed her gratitude for Taylor’s actions.
“Talk about a stand up young man!!!! My dad took Ziggy to Rouse’s yesterday and apparently he was interested in stocking the shelves,” Alwosaibi wrote. “We all know autism makes going out difficult, and sometimes grocery stores can be a challenge.
“This young man took the time to slow down and allow Jack Ryan to help for over 30 minutes, guiding him as he finished his task.”
Alwosaibi explained how Taylor could’ve ignored Ryan, like many other people would, but instead decided to reach out to him instead.
“He let him have his moment and in turn gave my family a moment we will never forget,” she said.
Alowsaibi wanted to find a way to give back to Taylor, and Ryan’s father learned that Taylor wanted to go to college after having graduated from high school two years ago. Taylor explained that he loved math and would want to become a teacher one day.
The family decided to start a GoFundMe page to help Taylor go to college, with a goal of raising $10,000. People around the world wanted to help Taylor with his tuition, and it wasn’t long before Alwosaibi decided to raise the goal to $100,000.
Jordan Taylor is working in order to pay for college. He wants to become a teacher. Let's help get him to college. Clearly his kindness, patience and compassion is needed in the classroom Totally can see him as a teacher @TheEllenShow @Oprah @ABC @CBSThisMorning @CBSThisMorning
— SIMPLY M.E. 💞💚 (@SimplyME_Born) August 2, 2018
As of Sunday afternoon, the page had raised over $110,000 for Taylor’s tuition.
GoFundMe spokesman Bobby Whithorne told Fox News that Taylor’s tuition page is the top campaign at the moment.
“Donors from Baton Rouge to Bangkok have been inspired by Jordan and Jack Ryan’s story. Nearly 3,000 people have donated $100,000 from all across the US and all around the world,” he said.
“Donors from Japan to Germany, from Ireland to Italy, have stepped up and taken action to show their support.”
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