Man With Brain Injury Has A Tough Time Finding A Job, But A Company Hired Him Under One Condition

A man who suffered a brain injury has had problems finding a job that would allow him to bring his service dog to work. However, one job interview left him in tears and shock.

Owen Lima suffered a major brain injury but uses a reliable service dog named Blue to help him function. His job search hasn’t been going very well because employers don’t like dogs in the business.

However, Lima had a job interview at Lowe’s Home Improvement in North Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and needed to bring Blue with him. He was afraid that Lowe’s interviewer would turn him down because Blue was with him. However, he was in for a shock.

Lowe’s hired him and Blue with just one condition – Blue needed to wear a Lowe’s vest like every other employee. Lima said it was difficult to find a job where a prospective employee would accept him the way he was and needed the assistance of a service dog.

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Paul Gallo is the store’s manager, and he told Lima that he cared more about his abilities to help others and the company – not his past.

Gallo knew what job would be great for the pair – customer service associate, greeting customers and taking care of the carts at the store’s entrance.

The pair’s story was posted on the Lowe’s Canada Facebook page along with a picture of Blue wearing the work vest. In less than 48 hours, it got more than 11,000 shares.

Gallo said it was never about the publicity but the desire to help a person and hire him like anyone else.

Lima’s brain injury causes him to be unable to understand people, which causes him to feel exasperated and stressed out. Blue, however, keeps him from suffering an anxiety attack.

Lima said Blue being with him makes it easier for him to do his job.

Viewers have commented on the company’s website post, saying how proud they were to see Lowe’s hiring not one person but two.

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