Cashier With Autism Meets Veteran Unable to Pay for His Groceries, Steps Up, Says ‘I Got This’

Cashier With Autism Meets Veteran Unable to Pay for His Groceries, Steps Up, Says ‘I Got This’
(Background: QualityHD/Shutterstock; Inset: Courtesy of Briar Poirier)
Epoch Inspired Staff
8/12/2021
Updated:
8/14/2021

A supermarket cashier in Oxford, Massachusetts, recently garnered media attention for a kind gesture shown to a veteran, who came up short of cash while shopping for groceries.

Briar Poirier, 28, who’s worked for Market Basket for the past 8 years, was on checkout duty on the afternoon of Friday, July 23, when he encountered an older man paying for his groceries.

Renee Falcioni, an emergency room nurse from Killingly, Connecticut, was in another checkout lane and overheard an exchange between Briar and the man, who was dressed in veteran’s attire.

(QualityHD/Shutterstock)
(QualityHD/Shutterstock)

“The veteran attempted to pay for his groceries with a gift card, but he did not have enough money on the card, so Briar immediately took out his wallet and said ‘Don’t worry, I got this,’” Renee told The Epoch Times.

Meanwhile, the cashier, who is autistic, recalled telling him, “You fought for my rights and my freedoms, it’s the least I can do for you.” He then thanked him for his service.

Renee said the veteran’s face lit up with a broad smile as he shook Briar’s hand.

(Left): Courtesy of <a href="https://gofund.me/8ca46ab1">Renee Falcioni</a>; (Right): Courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/briar.poirier">Briar Poirier</a>
(Left): Courtesy of Renee Falcioni; (Right): Courtesy of Briar Poirier

Renee explained how, on returning to her car, she sat for a moment thinking how more people like Briar were needed in the world; and decided to spread the word on social media about his kind act, in an effort to help him get the recognition he deserved.

“I approached Briar after the veteran left and said that was an amazingly kind gesture,“ said Renee. ”I told Briar I would be talking about him to many people. I also stopped on my way out and approached a store manager to tell him about this kind act.”

She has since worked on several initiatives, both to recognize Briar’s act of kindness as well as support military veterans.

“[Renee] asked if she could write a review about me on social media, my response was ‘go for it,’ and ’thank you miss,’” Briar said, adding, “As long as people are trying to help each other out now regardless of differences, that is what is important to me.”

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Epoch Inspired staff cover stories of hope that celebrate kindness, traditions, and triumph of the human spirit, offering valuable insights into life, culture, family and community, and nature.
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