FORT MYERS, Fla., -- Macandi Lovell, 19, can't speak because of medication that has been locked in his respiratory system for over a year. Now, he says he walks miles a day looking for a job that will help him earn the money to get a car and the surgery he needs.
"I was let go because of me being mute," Lovell said via dry-erase board, explaining his experiences in the workplace. "I think I’m not making enough, just from working at restaurants I need to be able to afford a vehicle.”
Lovell says he's been walking around with a letter explaining his situation to several businesses in Fort Myers. He says he's applied to 17 different places.
A stranger saw him walking and posted of photo of him and the letter to Facebook. The post went viral when nearly 200 commenters posted job offers.
“I felt outstanding to see each person reaching out to giving options to where I need to get a career at." Lovell wrote.
The Lee County of Remarkable Citizens (LARC) says they have built a training program for disability persons.
“Through our experiences, we’ve seen individuals with disabilities with the proper training and the proper support be real high performers in the work place," Kevin Lewis, the LARC's Executive Director, said.
Lewis says through workshops and consistent communication between their clients and employers, they've seen more jobs become available for those with disabilities.
“I think there’s increasing awareness that what we used to think of people with disabilities are now people with capabilities,” he said.
Lovell says he's trying to earn the money to get the surgery he needs.
