Walmart Employee Gives Woman With Cerebral Palsy a Manicure After Nail Salon Allegedly Wouldn't

Updated, August 8, 2018, 4:00 p.m.:

A Walmart spokesperson has provided the following statement to Teen Vogue: “Ebony simply wanted to make sure our customer’s day was special, and that’s the kind of person she is – someone with a wonderful attitude who goes the extra mile each day to make those around her feel important. We’re not surprised at her act of kindness. Her service to customers defines the spirit of Walmart, and we couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Previously...

Two women in Michigan are making headlines after one was allegedly denied service at a nail salon, and the other stepped in to help.

According to local news affiliate ABC 12, a woman named Angela Peters entered a nail salon in Burton, Michigan, but was allegedly turned away from getting a manicure. Angela has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair; according to one witness’s account, the salon allegedly said that they denied her service because "she moves too much." According to the account, Ebony Harris, an employee at the Walmart Supercenter where the nail salon is located, was about to go on her break when she saw Angela being turned away — and she decided to do something about it.

ABC 12 reported that Ebony approached Angela; the duo picked out some nail polish together, and sat down at a table at a Subway restaurant inside the store for a manicure. "She moved her hands a little bit, and kept saying she was sorry, and I told her, ‘Don’t say that,’" Ebony told ABC 12.

Tasia Smith, who was working a shift at Subway at the time, captured the moment and posted the photo on Facebook; it has since gone viral.

"I just wanted to post [the photo] for awareness and appreciation, because people needed to know what was going on with the business, and Ebony deserved all the appreciation she could get," Tasia said.

Angela also loved the way her nails looked, remarking to ABC 12 that her manicure turned out "amazing," and that as a frequent Walmart customer, Ebony immediately made her feel right at home.

“She’s such a joy, she’s a sweetheart. She has a humble heart,” Harris told Cars 108 radio station in Flint, Michigan.

"We're not trying to make [the nail salon] lose customers, [or] make them look bad," Ebony told ABC 12. "But maybe [we can] spread awareness that no matter the person, who they are, what color they are, disability, they're people too. She's a girly girl. She's just like you, me, Tasia, my daughter, anybody. She wants to look pretty, so why can't she?"

Ever since the experience, Ebony says that Angela has left her feeling totally inspired. "I told her she's a blessing to us — to anybody, not just me. She makes me look at life and appreciate it much more than what I have been."

In response to the experience, Angela wrote on Facebook that she “forgives” the nail salon for seeing her. “When people do us wrong, we must forgive,” she explained. “If not, we harbor bitterness. I don't want anyone fired, I just [want to] educate people that people with different challenges like being in a wheelchair can have our own business and get our nails done like anyone else.”

Teen Vogue has reached out to Walmart and the nail salon in question for comment and will update this story as more information becomes available.

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