Grayslake Hero With Special Needs 'Will Not Let People Down'

GRAYSLAKE, IL — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.

This submission comes from Cristina Caston, a Grayslake resident who nominated Joel Slattery, also from Grayslake. According to Caston, Joel has special needs and is an essential worker, putting in long hours during the most challenging time. Slattery is truly a Grayslake Patch Hero. Here's why, according to Caston:

Where the nominee lives:
Grayslake

Where the person who nominated the hero lives:
Grayslake, IL

Name of the nominee:
Joel Slattery

Name of the person who nominated the hero:
Cristina Caston

Is the nominee considered an “essential worker”?:
Yes

What does the nominee do for work?:
Bagger at grocery store

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?
Joel has special needs and work is not easy. When so many people quit at the store, he went from 10 hour a week to 35 hours a week. For someone like him, that is hard. When the governor issued the stay at home order and everyone panicked, Joel worked without a break bagging groceries as the lines formed around the store. He was never late, never missed a shift, and did his work to the best of his ability every single day. This is a young person who was told he would not amount to much while in school due to his many issues, but he has risen to the occasion, especially during such a difficult time.

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?:
He is loyal, hardworking and will not let people down. Life is hard for him and having special intellectual needs has made life rough, but he has not given up.

Thank you so much for all you do for the community, Joel!

>> Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.