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Elderly women who told Burger King manager ‘Go back to Mexico’ apologize in ‘heartfelt’ letter
A Burger King manager told by two elderly sisters to “go back to Mexico” has accepted their “sincere” apology.
On July 6th, the women were eating lunch at a Burger King in Eustis, Florida when they took offense to manager Ricardo Castillo speaking Spanish to his employee. Patron Neyzha Nicole was sitting at a nearby table and recorded the subsequent argument, telling Yahoo Lifestyle, “The situation got out of control.”
The women told Ricardo, “Go back to Mexico if you want to keep speaking Spanish,” Ricardo is from Puerto Rico, “....Our main language is English,” and “Speak your Mexican at home...this is still America. You should speak American English.”
Ricardo told them, “You’re being very prejudiced and I want you out of my restaurant right now.” He also said the customers were “ignorant and disrespectful.”
At the time, a Burger King rep told Yahoo Lifestyle, “There is no place for discrimination in our restaurants. We expect employees and guests to treat each other with respect. This incident took place at a franchised restaurant and the owner is looking into the matter.”
But this week, the women penned a private apology to Ricardo, explaining that a spousal death, failing health, and financial hardship was rooted in their outburst.
Ricardo shared the letter on Facebook Tuesday, writing, “Wherever y’all are, I would like to say that apology is accepted and I’m truly sorry for what both of you have been [through], and now it is my turn to help.” He also vowed to open a GoFundMe account to “create a viral chain for [these] two old but much wiser old ladies.”
In their letter, the women (who didn’t include their names) wrote, “Our behavior termed by others as, ‘racist, hateful, ignorant, and prejudice’ reflected badly on us...as Christians our otherwise loving nature hit an emotional brick wall. That kind of behavior has no excuse and for that, we are truly sorry.”
Due to one losing a spouse, their “hearts were still painfully raw.”
“The overwhelming realization you just buried your best friend, you’re faced with insurmountable debt with very little SS income now, and no savings,” they wrote. “Being unemployed as a senior citizen, these obstacles caused both of us, Mr. Castillo, to lash out undeservingly at you.”
After their “irresponsible and hurtful” words, the sisters, who are both in their 80s, wrote, “Our hope is that you will extend your hand to us in forgiveness and accept our heartfelt apology.”
Ricardo tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the women, who come to Burger King often, dropped off the letter at his restaurant. “After reading it, I understood they had been through a lot...it touched my heart.”
“I have no hard feelings toward them,” Ricardo tells Yahoo Lifestyle. He says that GoFundMe denied a fundraising account for the women. Yahoo Lifestyle could not immediately reach a GoFundMe representative for comment.
The sisters are welcome at his restaurant anytime. “I hope they come back,” he tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “It’s all good.”
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Black family fires contractor who shows up to job with Confederate flag on truck: 'I cannot pay you'
Family's 'Thin Blue Line' American flag sparks controversy after neighbors call it 'racist'
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