Man with Brain Injury and Service Dog Get Hired Together
Lowe's Canada has hired the man and his service dog.
— -- Owen Liam had a bad fall that resulted in a brain injury which affected his speech.
Because of that, he said, he's had a hard time finding employment. "I've been treated like a second-class citizen because I talk a little weird," he told ABC News, and "the way I look."
Liam had to "re-train" the muscles in his face "to look as normal as possible."
Further complicating his employment situation was his beloved service dog, Blue, who Liam has had for nine years and calls his "lifesaver." Blue once alerted Liam to a fire in the microwave while he was sleeping.
That is, until Lowe's Canada decided to hire them both.
The Lowe's store in North Regina, Saskatchewan had its grand opening Thursday with both new employees front and center greeting customers.
Paulo Gallo, the store manager, told ABC News that there were job fairs leading up to the store opening. Liam asked if he could apply, Gallo said, and was subject to the same "rigorous" application and interview process as the other 180 employees.
"No exceptions were made [for Liam]," he said. "We told him that up front before he was hired. Once we found out it was possible to make the accommodations for Blue, we went through with the process."
Gallo added that Liam and Blue are well-known in the area and that the customers who came into the store today were thrilled to see them both working.
As for Liam, he is happy he's "being treated like a person," after having been treated like a "second-class citizen" for so long, he said. He is trying to "get used to it."
He said that Lowe's is "treating him great."
And as for Blue? "He's a big hit."
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