Public spaces should be welcoming to everyone — but that wasn’t the case when an elderly deaf man was told to leave an elevator by a frustrated mom of seven.
It happened at a hotel, where my 80-something grandfather, who walks with a cane and is hearing-impaired, stepped into an elevator first simply because he was closest. A woman managing several children rushed in behind him, asked people to make room, and when my grandfather didn’t respond immediately, she wrongly assumed he was ignoring her.
Annoyed, she loudly said, “He can’t even hear — he should get off so we can use it,” and even filmed him, later posting the clip online to shame him.
When the video reached our family, I responded with the truth: my grandfather is deaf, not rude. I explained his background — a WWII vet, retired teacher, and gentle soul — and the internet rallied behind him. The original video was taken down, and the woman issued an apology.
The whole experience reminded us how quickly people judge, and how a little understanding can go a long way. Today, the hotel staff knows my grandfather by name — and treats him with the respect he’s always deserved.
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