When customers visit the Starbucks where Sam works as a barista, they’ll not only be served coffee but treated to a dance. As it turns out, there’s a really amazingly inspirational story behind why Sam dances behind the counter.
Throughout his life Sam was told he would never be able to have a job because he is autistic.But that would change when Sam met Chris Ali, a Starbucks store manager, at a camp run by Integrated Services for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. The two struck up a friendship and Chris offered Sam a job at his store, which Sam enthusiastically accepted.
Sam quickly picked up the barista skills through repetition and dancing helps him concentrate and manage his disorder. After a video of him at work went viral, his story caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres, who invited Sam and Chris onto her show. While there, the two shared their inspiring story and, of course, Ellen had a special surprise in store for these two deserving friends!
And here’s the original video of Sam at work that went viral and was filmed by Carly Fleischmann.
Share Sam and Chris’ touching story with your friends and family!
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