Deaf Grocery Worker Says Shopper Assaulted Her To Get Attention

MIDLOTHIAN, VA — Liberty Gratz was diligently straightening items on a bottom shelf at a Midlothian, Virginia, Publix store Sunday when she took a blow to the back by a disgruntled shopper, who apparently was agitated that Gratz hadn’t responded to her question about where to find a specific item.

Gratz couldn’t have heard the request. She is deaf, and also has a peripheral vision problem that limits her ability see people standing next to her, the employee's mom, Jeanette Gratz, said.

The shopper didn’t just lightly tap Liberty on the shoulder.

“She could still feel it when I picked her up from work,” her mom told WRIC-TV of the blow to the back that seemed to her daughter to come out of the blue. “How would you feel if you were working and someone just came up behind you and decided to punch you?”

Liberty pointed the woman to the direction of the item she was looking for and the store has been supportive of her. Store surveillance video didn't provide any clues about the woman's identity.

But Liberty and her mother said the incident carries an important reminder for others to be kind, and not just people with disabilities like Liberty, who uses American Sign Language to talk to family and friends and communicates with store employees and shoppers with a pen and paper.

“I know hurt people usually are the ones that hurt people,” Jeanette told the TV station. “And so whoever it is, they've been prayed for. I will continue to pray for them, and I hope that things get better in their life so they can be better to other people.”

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