A visit to the supermarket becomes even more pleasant for people when they get to interact with Briar Poirier at the Market Basket in Oxford.
“He asks me about my day, he lightens my mood, he jokes with me a little bit, makes my day 100% better,” said Renee Falcioni of Killingly, Connecticut.
Briar has worked at the grocery store for the past eight years, and on his Facebook page he describes himself as “an autistic man that loves music, knowledge, video gaming, and compassion.”
His compassion stuck out to Falcioni, an emergency room nurse, during a recent shopping trip. “I was an aisle ahead of Briar and he was cashing out an elderly man who happened to be a veteran. And the veteran was short paying for his grocery bill and without hesitation, Briar took out his wallet and said, ‘I’ve got this,’” said Falcioni.
Poirier said he showed kindness to the elderly man as he was a veteran and wanted to thank him for his service. “The gentleman had a couple basic necessities and looked like he was a little down on his luck and the man fought for our country, fought for our freedoms, our rights. It’s the least I could do for him,” said Poirier.
“I turned around and saw the veteran. His eyes just light up. And he shook his hand and said thank you and had a big smile from ear to ear,” said Falcioni. After Renee shared the story on Facebook, many who’ve known and met Briar at the grocery store were not surprised.
“From what I’ve read on social media it’s not the first time that he’s done this. And he’s helped so many people,” said Falcioni. “My parents taught me that hard work, perseverance and just being kind to others can help accomplish a lot in the world,” said Poirier.
The elderly vet had used up a $25 Market Basket gift card and still owed three dollars, which Poirier happily paid out of his own pocket. This small gesture definitely went a long way and appealed to many people. “I’m hoping more people can help each other in times of need, whether you be a stranger or a friend. Just to make people’s day better,” said Poirier.
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