Laura Colvin

Livingston Daily

Daniel Lybrink pumped his arms and hammed it up for an adoring crowd Monday as family, friends, co-workers and others crammed into the Brighton McDonald’s to wish him well.

After 33 years, the 62-year-old Howell resident is retiring from the restaurant, located at 8515 N. Grand River.

His job?

“Lobby manager,” Lybrink says proudly.

Lybrink, who has Down Syndrome, began working at the restaurant in 1984.

Today, his brother Harry Lybrink said he’s grateful McDonald’s helped his younger brother find purpose for so many years.

“Back then, they didn’t know what to do with someone who had Down Syndrome,” he said, noting his brother was the youngest in a brood of six. “He never got to go to public school.”

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In recent years, Daniel Lybrink has been coming to work at the restaurant just one day a week – two heart attacks and a knee replacement have slowed him considerably – but his managers and co-workers say he is an inspiration who always has a smile for everyone.

While he can do most any job in the restaurant, he generally spends most of his time cleaning and greeting customers.

“Customers give him as many hugs and handshakes as we do,” said David Glynn, the restaurant’s general manager, noting Lybrink gave himself the title of lobby manager about 10 years ago. “It doesn’t matter what kind of a day we’re having – no matter how busy or how slow – when Dan’s here, he makes it feel special.”

It was that reason, he said, co-workers wanted to arrange a special send off for him.

On Monday afternoon, well-wishers came to eat cake and cookies, sign a memory book and watch him open gifts, including a new bowling ball and bag. In addition to bowling on the Special Olympics team, Lybrink also likes Detroit sports, super hero movies and word searches.

“I’ll miss his smile and his teamwork,” Glynn added. “He talks a lot about being part of the team.”

Former McDonald’s manager Rene King worked with Lybrink for about 10 years, in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It’s been a few years, but she remembered him fondly, and made a point to return for his party.

“He was a hard worker and always here when he was supposed to be,” she said. “He was a big help wherever you needed him.

“I’m glad they did this for him,” she said. “He deserves it.”

While family members say it was time for Lybrink to slow down anyway, the retirement comes as his group-living facility makes plans to move north to Manistee.

Molly Wisuri, who operates the home, Nolan’s Way in Howell, said she’s known Lybrink for nearly two decades and knows he’ll enjoy the fishing, traveling and sunset-watching she’s planning for the residents.

“Kudos to McDonald’s for everything they’ve done for him,” she said, noting it’ll probably take some time for him to adjust to retirement.

“We call him Dan Dan the ladies’ man,” Wisuri said. “The ladies love him.”

And, apparently, he loves them right back; Monday, he planted a big smooch on his sister-in-law, Claudia Lybrink.

Her husband Harry says it’s nothing new.

“I’ve been telling him for years, ‘Hey, that’s my wife, not yours,’’ he laughed.

Contact reporter Laura Colvin at 517-552-2848 or lcolvin@livingstondaily.com.