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Fort Lauderdale Man Exemplifies Dedication to his Job

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - David Torres loves his job so much, it was worth leaving his family in Puerto Rico and returning home to Fort Lauderdale. Over a year ago his family relocated to Puerto Rico, however, Torres was unhappy there and made arrangements to return to Florida and his job at Wal-Mart.

During October, which is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is putting the spotlight on Floridians like Torres who have careers and fulfilling lives.

Torres is diagnosed with an intellectual disability. He had been employed in the community for many years---first at Pizza Hut, then Denny's, and most recently at a Wal-Mart store in Pompano Beach.

"David was very unhappy living in Puerto Rico," recalls Bobbi Wigand of Victory Living Programs (VLP), which provides services to Torres that are funded through APD. "He missed his friends, his Special Olympics teammates, and his job."

According to Wigand, Torres started making daily calls to his Special Olympics coach at VLP in Fort Lauderdale, saying that he wanted to move back to South Florida. After six months of convincing his mother to let him move out on his own, the coach began making arrangements for his return.

"David was assigned a supported living coach and a supported employment coach who assisted him in regaining his job at Wal-Mart and trained him in all areas of daily living skills," says Wigand.

The happy result, one year later, is that Torres now lives in his own apartment in Fort Lauderdale with a roommate. They share the daily chores, although Torres claims to be the better cook. And he's back on the job at the Pompano Beach Wal-Mart as a stockperson, retrieving shopping carts from the parking lot, among other tasks.

"David is a very dedicated associate," says Keith Ervin, the store manager. "He gets along great with everyone. He learns new tasks quickly and well, and he's always asking for more things to do."

Wigand says that Torres continues to receive support from Victory Living Programs, funded by APD, "to assist him in maintaining his newfound and deeply cherished freedom and independence."

APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit www.apd.myflorida.com or call toll free1-866-APD-CARES (1 866 273 2273).

REMINDER FOR MEDIA---When reporting on stories about people with disabilities, remember to use language that puts the person first, rather than the disability. For example, use phrases such as "persons with disabilities" (instead of "the disabled") and "person who uses a wheelchair" (rather than "wheelchair bound").