This disabled vet employs wounded warriors at his awesome restaurant

Logan Nye
Feb 5, 2020 7:03 PM PST
1 minute read
Jobs photo

SUMMARY

On the streets of Long Beach, California, a new restaurant has opened where a quadriplegic Navy veteran focuses on hiring other disabled people — especially veterans — to staff the business. Daniel Tapia, the owner of the restaurant 4…

On the streets of Long Beach, California, a new restaurant has opened where a quadriplegic Navy veteran focuses on hiring other disabled people — especially veterans — to staff the business.


Daniel Tapia, the owner of the restaurant 4th and Olive, told Fox LA, "I'm referred to what's known as a walking quad, a high functioning quadriplegic. So, I can walk and move but I have a limited strength and feeling in my hands and feet."

Daniel Tapia is a disabled Navy veteran and co-owner of 4th and Olive. (Photo: YouTube/SupposeWeExpose)

Tapia was a sommelier at another southern California restaurant until he was fired in 2014. Short on employment opportunities and hopeful that he could fight disability discrimination, he decided to launch his own establishment that would provide job opportunities for other disabled veterans.

Some of the vets, like Air Force veteran and bartender John Putnam, are fighting physical battles, but the restaurant also hires people with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries.

John Putnam is a disabled Air Force veteran who now works as a bartender at 4th and Olive. (Photo: YouTube/SupposeWeExpose)

Co-owner and chef Alex McGroarty told Fox that the veterans are great employees.

"They work really hard," he said. "If they've had a little trouble in the past, they are going to be really loyal and work hard for you."

"By and large, it's been a great process hiring these vets, and we can't wait to hire more," Tapia said in a recent YouTube video.

4th and Olive is located in Long Beach, California and serves food from the Alsace region of France.

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Sign up for We Are The Mighty's newsletter and receive the mighty updates!

By signing up you agree to our We Are The Mighty's Terms of Use and We Are The Mighty's Privacy Policy.

SHARE