Nebraska Restaurant Staff Show Wheelchair User True Kindness

Virginia Harden's trip to Scottsbluff for an eye appointment became an unforgettable lesson in human goodness.

The Crest View Care Center resident traveled two hours from Chadron with her nursing home administrator, Helen Wichman, on March 2. After moving to Chadron last year to be closer to her daughter following her husband's death, Harden still makes the long drive to keep her regular eye doctor.

"While we're in town, we like to pick up some hot food," Harden said. "So we're trying different ones, and El Torito is one of my first ones."

When Harden and her late husband lived in Scottsbluff, El Torito Grill in Gering was a favorite spot. But this visit started with a challenge: the restaurant had no wheelchair ramp.

As Wichman struggled to help Harden inside, two strangers in the parking lot noticed and immediately stepped in to help. Waitress Norma Gurrola held the door open while the men assisted Harden into the building.

"They were so good," Wichman said.

Sunny's Take

Gurrola, hired just months earlier, didn't hesitate to go above and beyond. She took their order outside, brought freshly prepared food quickly, and made sure Harden felt comfortable throughout the meal.

"I say, 'I come and take your order,' and then I went inside, and then I take the order for them, and then I bring the food right away," Gurrola said. "And she was so happy, that lady, she was really happy."

Harden remembers the care that went into every detail. The plates were so hot from the fresh kitchen that they sat untouched for 10 minutes.

Owner Lenin Parra said such moments happen so often that staff don't think twice about helping. Because of the restaurant's raised entrance, Gurrola helps wheelchair users "all the time."

"We don't think we did something special, because we will do it for anyone," Parra said. "But I'm so glad that it touched their heart. I mean, that's what we do. That's our goal, to serve."

After their meal, staff helped bring Harden safely back to the van and waited while Wichman got the lift ready.

Wichman posted about the experience on Facebook, drawing hundreds of likes and an outpouring of appreciation for the restaurant and the twin communities it serves. For Harden, the memory of strangers and staff working together to make her feel welcome still warms her heart.

Small acts of service can transform an ordinary lunch into proof that kindness still thrives in communities that care.