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#Post#: 30--------------------------------------------------
Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter, decides
to share it with furloughed workers
DIR By: Ghosttruck
Date: January 24, 2019, 8:11 pm
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Eric McKay, 15, really, really likes peanut butter.
He prefers it with jelly slathered on two English muffins each
day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. His mother, Tracy McKay,
said he goes through a jar every three days. But his supply was
running low.
Eric, who has autism, tweeted to grocery store chain Lidl to ask
when peanut butter would go on sale again. His mother had bought
72 jars last February at their local store’s grand opening. The
company responded with a challenge: Get 72,000 retweets, and in
exchange they would give him a lifetime supply of store-brand
peanut butter.
He succeeded.
With his father — a furloughed federal worker — at his side at
the Lidl store in Dumfries, Va., Eric and his family gave away
several peanut butter jars Jan. 23 to other workers furloughed
during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Eric is
planning another peanut butter giveaway Saturday.
His mother said her family, of Woodbridge, Va., including Eric’s
three teenage siblings, have been making do "on a shoestring”
since her husband has been unable to work because of the partial
shutdown. He provides the family’s main source of income.
She said Eric, who goes by the nickname “Bean,” told her he
wanted to give away the peanut butter because “my dad is stuck
at home. We don’t have any income, but we do have peanut butter,
so we should share it.” Tracy McKay said, “To him, it was the
obvious thing to do.”
His mother said Eric’s preference for a particular food isn’t
uncommon for people with autism, who can be sensitive to tastes,
textures and sounds. She said they often choose to narrow their
diets to foods with which they’re comfortable.
For Eric, that’s peanut butter and English muffins.
The teenager’s peanut butter challenge started after his mom
bought six cases of Lidl peanut butter when it was on sale at
the Dumfries store for 78 cents a jar. There was no limit, so
she bought as much as she thought they could eat before it
expired. Tracy McKay, who doesn’t like peanut butter, said Eric
numbered the jars and put them in their basement.
When Eric told his mother about his supply running low, she
suggested that he tweet to Lidl to ask when it would be on sale
again. The store responded in a Twitter message and gave him
another 72 jars — then upped the ante.
Lidl challenged him to reach 72,000 retweets, saying that in
exchange, the business would give him a lifetime supply of
peanut butter.
At first, his mom thought this “is never going to happen.” Eric
had just five Twitter followers. But then she said it “just grew
organically,” with friends and family retweeting it. He now has
more than 2,200 followers.
By Christmas, he reached 40,000 retweets. Then his message
really took off, when British author Neil Gaiman and former
White House intern Monica Lewinsky retweeted it. Tracy McKay
said she thinks Eric’s goal took off when Gaiman “didn’t just
retweet it, but he engaged and talked about autism and people
having food sensitivities.”
His mom said Lidl gave Eric a “peanut butter card” so he can get
more when he needs it, but Eric said he wanted to share it with
others, especially furloughed federal workers like his father.
She said Eric’s peanut butter challenge has spawned mostly
positive reactions on social media. Many Twitter followers —
some of whom have autism — shared their favorite foods and
congratulated Eric on sharing his experience.
On Twitter, @illumiwookie wrote, “Bean for Prez, 20Whatever.
You’re a good human.” Another person on Twitter,
@Hammertime_Teri said, “You are a complete angel and a godsend.”
Eric’s three siblings have also been excited about the peanut
butter challenge and helped in retweeting it. Tracy McKay said
she “couldn’t be prouder,” and her husband, she said, “is
pleased as punch.” She said it has been a good lesson for Eric’s
siblings on how things can take on a life of their own on the
Internet.
After his first giveaway Wednesday, Eric got in the car with his
mother and said, “Mom, that just felt so good.”
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#Post#: 34--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: roadsidehorror
Date: January 24, 2019, 8:47 pm
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Great story!
(This feels weird!)
#Post#: 35--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: Ghosttruck
Date: January 24, 2019, 8:49 pm
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Hey, it's the new house of the Demon!
#Post#: 48--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: KatO9Tails
Date: January 24, 2019, 10:16 pm
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--- Quote from: roadsidehorror link ---
>
> Great story!
> (This feels weird!)
>
--- End Quote ---
nope, i can remember when he won it. The kid literally can live
on peanut butter I forgot who [not you, OMG] set him up like
that but it shows that he is more than willing to pay it forward
and I think that is sweet
#Post#: 53--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: Ghosttruck
Date: January 24, 2019, 10:31 pm
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I agree!!!
#Post#: 67--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: Siobhan
Date: January 25, 2019, 12:17 am
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This *autistic* teen boy completely understands that too many
are having trouble just putting food on the table, and has
decided to share what he has with as many as he can.
He gives me hope for the future of today's youth, and may most
of them remember this time - put their politics aside - so that
those who become our future leaders do not allow something like
this to go on for so very long, ever again.
He has more caring in his heart, along with knowledge and
understanding of how so many average citizens are struggling
right now, and has taken a fortunate thing for himself and
turned into something truly beautiful.
May he be forever blessed.
#Post#: 224--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: Knox
Date: January 25, 2019, 9:31 pm
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Oh as the Aunt of an Autistic niece this made my day!!
[member=4]Siobhan[/member] you are so right, it gives me so much
hope!! God bless his sweet heart!!!
#Post#: 231--------------------------------------------------
Re: Autistic teen wins a lifetime supply of peanut butter,
decides to share it with furloughed worke
DIR By: SimplySpaztastic
Date: January 26, 2019, 1:57 am
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Awwwe. This!!!
❤❤❤
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