A little kindness goes a long way.
Briar Poirier recognizes this truth and does his best to help others every day. His compassion certainly doesn’t go unnoticed!
Briar has been working as a grocery store clerk at Market House in Oxford, Massachusetts, for eight years now. In that time, he’s grown quite the rapport with his customers.
“He asks me about my day,” said Renee Falcioni, an emergency room nurse. “He lightens my mood. He jokes with me a little bit, makes my day 100 percent better.”
Although Briar is always looking for ways to brighten someone’s day, one moment in particular caught his eye. While Renee was shopping, she noticed Briar at a register just an aisle over. He was checking out a veteran who didn’t have enough money to pay for all of his groceries.
Without hesitating, Briar took out his wallet and insisted on paying for everything himself.
“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,” Briar said. “It’s the least I could do for him.”
“I turned around and saw the veteran. His eyes just light up,” Renee said. “And he shook his hand and said thank you and had a big smile from ear to ear.”
Touched by Briar’s good deed, Renee decided to share the story on Facebook. She soon discovered the true scope of his kindness when others began replying with their own similar experiences.
Briar describes himself as a man with autism who loves music, knowledge, video games, and compassion. He said the reason he offered to help the veteran was, in part, because of how he was raised.
“My parents taught me that hard work, perseverance, and just being kind to others can help accomplish a lot in the world,” Briar said. “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.”
Briar’s generosity is a great reminder that one act of kindness can have a huge ripple effect!
Share this story to continue the wave of goodness that Briar began.
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