Down?s Syndrome employee completes 30 years at McDonald?s

Posted by Ritu Kumari on December 14th, 2016

Russell O’Grady, an employee at McDonald’s Northmead outlet, in Sydney, Australia, is an employee with a difference. He has Down’s Syndrome. Yet, in the 15 years that he has been working there, he has only brought smiles to the faces of customers visiting the store.

Therefore, when Russel recently celebrated the 30th work anniversary, McDonald’s threw him a well-deserved party. Russel, who began working at age 18, is a very social person who says hello to every customer.

Indeed, Russel is a much-loved colleague at McDonald’s Northmead. Though his job is to pack the party boxes and clear the trays, ask him what his favourite task is and he will say it is greeting customers at the McDonald’s restaurant.

Russell, who first donned the McDonald’s uniform at age 18, made such a good impression on his colleagues and customers that he was soon promoted to a secure position at McDonald’s, Northmead. Besides packing party boxes, Russel also tried his hand at other restaurant duties, including the kitchen. 

Store assistant Katie Chlyder said in an interview that Russell made the restaurant a brighter place. “You feel happy that you have him here, he's just nice to have around. He's really sweet, he always comes up to me to shake my hand hello and goodbye without fail, just a really sweet gentleman.”

Saying that Russel had his quirks just like everyone else, Katie added, “He's kind of funny. You ask him what he's listening to, and he'll always say: 'The Beatles'. He loves the Beatles and Abba.”

Russel’s father Geoff O'Grady said his son had become “the best-known person in Northmead” since he started working at McDonald's. Though he was “extremely proud” of his son, Geoff said he had never thought that the community would embrace him the way it had. “People stop him on the street and shake his hand,” said Geoff. “He's very affectionate, dearly loved and appreciated, to such an extent that we just can't believe it.”

But a major factor in Russel’s popularity was the friendly attitude of the staff at McDonald's, Northmead, said Geoff, adding that they had accepted him with open arms, which made Russell's work life more enjoyable than he had thought possible. “These people are absolutely fantastic. If it wasn't for their attitude, he wouldn't still be working,' he added.

Geoff also shared that his son's career has given him a different outlook on life. He recalled the time when someone asked his son, “Are you handicapped?” Russel’s answer was “I used to be when I went to school, but now I work at McDonald’s!”