Heartbroken Daughter Rats Out KFC Worker Who Humiliated Deaf Parents at Drive-Thru Window
It is one thing to be disrespected in a casual social situation. But it is entirely something else when discrimination occurs at a place of business.
I took American Sign Language for three years in high school. The deaf community is loving and gracious, and all-too-often misunderstood.
A heartbreaking story has gone viral because of how one woman and her husband were treated at a KFC in Byram, Mississippi. And it’s thanks to their daughter that the word is being spread.
Donna Curtis, daughter to Bobbie and Mike Cole, is outraged. And she’s letting everyone know just how unacceptable it is to mistreat someone because they’re different.
“I’m very disappointed,” Bobbie Cole said of her recent experience at the Byram KFC. “It hurts.”
When the Coles went through their local KFC drive-thru late one night, they experienced a painful and embarrassing situation. When Bobbie attempted to pick up her order at the window, the employee on duty covered her mouth, preventing the Coles from reading her lips.
The encounter quickly escalated, leaving Bobbie hurting after the employees began to laugh at her. The owner of that particular store has only directed the family to the KFC corporate line at this point.
Is it too bold to say this sort of thing wouldn’t happen at a Chick-fil-A? What happened is not only unprofessional and a poor example of customer service, but it shows what kinds of values and standards this company holds.
Wanting to make everyone aware of what happened to her parents that night, Curtis went live on Facebook to share their story. With thousands of views and a slew of comments, her video is receiving the attention she’d hoped.
“Bless my parents’ heart,” she says in the video, using both her voice and sign language. “It’s so sad that they can’t even get a bite to eat without people judging because they’re deaf.”
“Discrimination is not accepted,” she continues. “No matter if you’re hearing, if you’re deaf, if you’re blind, the color of your skin, it does not matter.”
Powerful words from a passionate woman. The mistreated couple may never receive a formal apology, but with a daughter like Curtis as their advocate, who can ignore what happened?
Hopefully this sad story will open the eyes of many who have been prejudiced against deaf people in the past. And let’s also hope nothing like this ever occurs again, though if it does, I’d warn people against it — you don’t want Curtis on your case.
She’s a fighter. And I’m certain her parents are very proud.
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