Man with Down Syndrome Fired After 20-Year Career at Wendy’s Is Reinstated but Chooses Retirement

A man with Down syndrome fired after working 20 years at Wendy’s was reinstated but has apparently decided to retire.

Fifty-one-year-old Dennis Peek, a well-known employee at the restaurant in Stanley, North Carolina, was recently let go because he was unable to perform his duties like “a normal person,” according to his sister, the New York Post reported Sunday:

Man with Down syndrome reinstated at Wendy's after outrage over his dismissal after 20 years https://t.co/81WhEAniFv pic.twitter.com/QO4izf1oJy

— New York Post (@nypost) October 9, 2022

In a social media post on Wednesday, Cona Young Turner detailed what happened and the steps she planned to take to remedy the situation:

His dream was to retire from there some day and he was looking forward to a huge retirement party, we may just give him that party and tell him he has retired because he does not understand being fired!!!!!!! They told me [he] was unable to perform the duties of a normal persons job!!!! I am also looking into a wrongful termination of a special needs employee, wish me luck! I am very disappointed with the management at Wendy’s in Stanley, they have no idea how they hurt my brother!

“Well, he is my baby brother and I got guardianship of him when my Mom passed. He’s like my kid. He’s mine now,” Turner explained during an interview with Queen City News.

The outlet said Peek was responsible for washing tables and chairs at the restaurant:

In an update, Turner said the restaurant offered him his job back and thanked everyone who supported their family throughout the ordeal.

An image showed a smiling Peek wearing his Wendy’s uniform while holding a box containing pins from the restaurant:

This is Dennis Peek. His sister tells me she found out yesterday he was fired from his job at @Wendys in Stanley, NC after 20+ years. In my report tonight hear what the company says is an “unfortunate mistake” that lead to his termination & what is being done to fix it. @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/iIoUzcoNSA

— Hannah Goetz (@HannahGoetztv) October 6, 2022

According to the Post article, the Carolina Restaurant Group explained in a statement, “This was an unfortunate mistake and lapse in protocol. We are in touch with the employee’s family, and we are looking forward to welcoming him back to work in the restaurant.”

However, Turner later updated her post to say Peek would not go back to the restaurant. Instead, “He will be having his BIG RETIREMENT party that he has been wanting”:

“Wendy’s has offered to help with expenses and anything else they can for his special day. I feel in my heart at this point i should do what is best for my brother,” she wrote.