Fourteen years prior, Andy Robinson, of Temecula, California, and his twin sibling were born prematurely via an emergency C-section. Andy almost didn’t make it, and doctors said he would never walk, talk, or eat by himself.
Through physical therapy, though, Andy is now able to walk, albeit with a limp, and is able to speak with a limited vocabulary.
Despite that, he likes to accompany his mother, Jeanie Robinson, to the local WinCo Foods to shop for groceries. And in late 2016, what started as a routine trip to the store became a viral video on social media that has since touched the hearts of many across the globe—and gained media attention.
“Some days he doesn’t like the store, and some days he does,” she said to NBC4.
On that day, though, Andy was in a good mood, out shopping with his mom, walking around the store, and glowing with a “contagious” smile.
Andy was a bit hesitant at first, but with his mom’s go-ahead, bravely, he stepped up to the scanner beside the teller.
Meanwhile, Mom video-recorded Shaylene guiding her son to use the scanner, as he smiled from ear to ear.
“It was so kind of her because so many people get annoyed with special needs kids,” Jeanie said. “But she had all the patience in the world.
“To me, it meant more than just him getting to scan a few items. It meant he’s accepted, he’s included, he receives attention for his smiles.”
She later shared the video online and thanked Shaylene for her kindness.
“I would like to give my sincere thanks to this lovely cashier at Winco in Temecula!” Jeanie wrote.
“That not only made my day, but he was so excited he came home to tell his older siblings all about it. He’s still smiling! Thank you for your kindness and above all Love Wins!!”
Soon, the video was shared around the world, and many social media users expressed how they were touched by it:
“I’m from Brazil and here we are so in love with this!!!” one person wrote.
“Thank you for demonstrate that there are loving and empathetic people around the world and that we can always be the best version of ourselves. A hug from Spain,” remarked another.
Jeanie has a message to share through her son’s video: “Be kind. Be respectful,” when interacting with individuals with special needs.
“And smile—nothing in the world is so bad you can’t smile,” she added.
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