Getting your nails done is a great way to treat yourself to a little self-care.
Unfortuntely, however, it’s not something that everyone can afford.
Angela Peters, a woman with cerebral palsy, could afford to get her nails done – but the salon turned her away.
Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by damage that occurs to the immature developing brain, often before birth. It affects movement, muscle tone, and posture.
Walmart cashier steps in to polish disabled woman’s nails when salon refuses: https://t.co/l68oI3T4RN pic.twitter.com/9r0fR95DGT
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) August 7, 2018
It can cause impaired movement, abnormal reflexes, floppiness, or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, involuntary movements, unsteady walking, or a combination of these.
Peters was turned away at the nail salon because she has trouble keeping her hands still.
The cerebral palsy makes them shake. The salon told her it would be too difficult to finish her nails. But a kind employee at the Walmart in Burton, Michigan wasn’t about to let Peters, who is a regular customer of Ebony Harris, leave her store without her day of pampering.
“I knew her from her coming in here shopping,” Harris told ABC News. “I’ve helped her shop a couple of times. I just wanted to do her nails and I didn’t want her day to be ruined.”
So instead of taking her break, Harris offered to paint her nails during that time instead. They walked through the Walmart aisles and picked out some nail polish.
A sparkly shade of blue.
They sat down in the Subway seating area and Harris got to work. Peters finally got her day of being pampering and sharing a relaxing experience while chatting up the “technician.”
“Ebony is a nice person,” Peters said. “I enjoy conversation with her.”
And Peters’ hands did shake during the manicure.
But Harris had the patience to continue and told Peters that she shouldn’t apologize. She admitted to being unsteady herself.
“I was a little nervous and was shaking because I didn’t want to mess her nails up,” Harris said.
One of the employees at Subway was moved by Harris’ act of kindness.
Tasia Smith said she was moved to tears and decided to snap a few photos of Harris and Peters during their salon session. She posted them on Facebook where they went viral.
“She did great, barely moved & was just so sweet,” Smith wrote on Facebook. “It’s an absolute shame that they denied her for something so little.”
Harris said she’s pleased that people reacted so positively to the photos.
“I love it and it hit my soul in a very deep place,” she said. “It makes me feel good, but it’s very overwhelming. We want people to look at the positive side of the story, that there are a lot of good people out here.”
Harris also received praise from her employer.
“Ebony simply wanted to make sure our customer’s day was special, and that’s the kind of person she is — someone with a wonderful attitude who goes the extra mile each day to make those around her feel important. We’re not surprised at her act of kindness. Her service to customers defines the spirit of Walmart, and we couldn’t be more proud,” the company said in a statement.
Harris and Peters said their goal is to raise awareness for people with disabilities instead of punishing or boycotting the salon.
“I forgive the nail people for not doing my nails,” Peters said on Facebook. “When people do us wrong we must forgive, if not we harbor bitterness. I don’t want anyone fired, I just [want to] educate people that people with different challenges like being in a wheelchair, we can have our own business and get our nails done like anyone else.”
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Source: YouTube – CBS Miami
