Firefighter's sign language conversation with boy goes viral Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT >> MY NAME IS M-I-K-E, MIKE. TIM: IT WAS A BRIEF INTERACTION, JUST 39 SECONDS. BUT AMY MCCALL SAYS IT’S A MOMENT THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME FOR HER SON TEGAN. >> HE IS NOT GOING TO FORGET IT AND I AM NOT GOING TO FORGET IT. TIM: ON THURSDAY NIGHT, THE MANCHESTER FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO MCCALL’S APARTMENT BUILDING TO CHECK ON SOME ALARMS THAT WERE GOING OFF. LIEUTENANT MIKE RHEAULT SAW TEGAN IN THE HALLWAY. >> HE KIND OF LOOKED AT ME AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING BUT WAS NOT BEING VERBAL. TIM: TEGAN HAS CEREBRAL PALSY AND CANNOT SPEAK. >> I SAID, HOW ARE YOU? HE SMILED AND LOOKED AT ME. I SAID, MY NAME IS MIKE. HE WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, SOMEONE IS SIGNING TO ME. >> HE SAID MY NAME IS TEGAN. I SAID, IT IS NICE TO MEET YOU. TIM: LIEUTENANT RHEAULT EVEN TAUGHT TEGAN A NEW SIGN. >> DO YOU KNOW THE SIGN FOR FIREMAN? YOU SEE WE HAVE THE FRONT, FIREMAN. >> IT MADE ME CRY. I CAME BACK INSIDE AND TEGAN WAS THRILLED. HE KEPT SALUTING HIM AND IS WEARING HIS FIRE HAT. TIM: LIEUTENANT RHEAULT’S PARENTS WERE DEAF. HE SAYS ASL WAS HIS FIRST LANGUAGE. >> I’VE USED IT ON PROBABLY 8, 10 CALLS IN MY CAREER. IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL. TIM: THE CONVERSATION HAS CAUGHT MORE THAN 20,000 VIEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AMY IS HOPING IT WILL SPREAD A MESSAGE ABOUT THE POWER OF KINDNESS. >> TALK TO HIM. TALK TO ALL THE KIDS, IF YOU SEE A KID ON THE PLAYGROUND WHO IS DIFFERENT OR IN A WHEELCHAIR, DOESN’T SPEAK, HAS SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS THE USE, THEY JUST WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEN

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