Deaf Couple Overcomes Challenges at HEB
Midland, TX – Jeffrey and Stephanie Williams work at the HEB in Midland. They interact with customers, they communicate with their co-workers all the while they are completely deaf.
Shopping carts, conversations, and cash registers are simple sounds many take for granted at the grocery store.
But for Jeffrey Williams and his wife Stephanie, these sounds are nonexistent.
“When they are not able to hear people they have to pay closer attention,” said the couples’ manager Bob Murphy says that doesn’t stop them from doing what they love: helping the customers.
“With one less sense to draw upon,” he said, “They make up for it in other ways like with the big hearts they have.”
Stephanie says it can get frustrating when customers are impatient and don’t understand.
“It hurts,” she said, “I want to cry, but I tell myself that I can still serve them.”
So to let the customers know they can help them no matter what…Stephanie made T-shirts to explain it says:
I am deaf and I would love to help I have a pen and pad.
“Find a solution and keep going,” she said.
The couple says they’ve quit their prior jobs because they were unhappy, but their HEB family is supportive.
Jeff says they finally found their calling.
“Never give up,” he said, “Keep going and keep your head up and try, try, try.”
They say there is one fulfilling word that is always understood:
“Thank you.”
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