Waiter surprises deaf customer with his comforting interaction using sign language: 'Power of ASL'

The feeling of encountering someone who speaks your native language while being in a foreign country is truly remarkable. Similarly, for a deaf individual, meeting someone who knows sign language evokes a similar sense of joy and connection. In a beautiful video posted on Instagram by @signlanguagecenter, a waiter working at a restaurant called Luana’s Tavern can be seen conversing with Brian, who is deaf in sign language.

The video begins with Brian signing to the waiter that he is deaf. Enrique, the waiter, signs back, "You're deaf?" The customer looks relieved and says, "Yes." The waiter then asks him, "How are you?" Brian responds, "Great, thanks." The customer looked happy that he could easily have a conversation with someone. The waiter then signs if he has any menu questions. "I would like...." Brian points at the menu. Enrique asks him if he would like to taste some wine. The man asks him, "What do they have?"

The waiter shows him the wine bottle and explains, "This is from Spain, an Albarino." Brian agrees to try it. "A taste? Good," expresses Enrique.

Throughout the video, there is a text overlay that reads, "What happens when your waiter is CODA!" It means the child of a deaf adult and the heart-warming video concludes with the waiter telling his name in sign language. "I am a proud CODA," says Enrique in the end.

The video went viral with about 133k views and is captioned, "Have you considered the power of #asl in action? You never know when you'll need to tap into this superpower! Enrique, a proud CODA from @luanastavern, did not hesitate when Brian indicated he was Deaf with a gesture more broadly recognized to indicate someone who is Deaf (different than the actual sign for 'Deaf' - learn with us why we do this)."

People on social media loved the conversation between Brian and the waiter. @meg_breezy_ox9 commented, "They looked so happy to find a waiter who understood them." @mstigerfrogs wrote, "It's beautiful to be able to communicate in your language instead of having to just gesture or write it out." @maraevas shared, "I was there with Brian that night! What a champ experience!!!!! Amazing vibe and food @luanastavern in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn!!"

@risabranch commented, "It already happened to me! A couple of weeks ago, I was at Whole Foods and I asked a random employee the location of an item. She mumbled something and pointed to her ear—I realized she was Deaf! I signed her my query and she led me there. Then I thanked her and she went on her way after a couple of pleasantries. That was the first unexpected moment when I could see the practical application of my studies at SLC!"

For a person with a disability, people being able to understand and communicate with them make a huge difference in their lives, as otherwise. They often struggle to make people comprehend what they are saying or want. So, let's try to be more accepting of such people and help them out whenever we can.