When Starbucks manager Chris first hired a teen with autism as the coffee shop’s next barista, he knew they would need to work together to create a plan.
Because Sam has autism, as well as a movement disorder that’s very common among those on the spectrum, he has a pretty tough time standing still for long periods of time.
While this poses a risk for Sam when it comes to making hot drinks and serving them to customers, Chris refused to write him off as a great employee.
According to Carly Fleischman, a teen with autism who also advocates for others on the spectrum, Chris trained Sam for hours to turn his inability to stand still into a dance routine that works for everybody.
In the heartwarming video below, we get to watch the duo in action, as Chris works the counter and bobs his head to the music.
When he passes the empty cup over to Sam to get started on the drink, the teen is already dancing, working the next order into his routine.
As Fleischman writes in her now viral Facebook post, Chris took hours out of his time to perfect the routine with Sam.
“More people like Sam need to be seen, heard and given a chance to thrive and dance,” she wrote, adding that Sam recently told his parents that being a barista gives him a sense of confidence he never had before.
Take a look at the touching video below now!
Video Credit: Carly Fleischmann via YouTube.com
