Kroger employee with cerebral palsy looking for new opportunity following store closure

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- One Kroger employee is hoping when the store closes in two months, the doors won't shut on his opportunities.

Lee Bondurant has cerebral palsy and has worked for the company full-time for 25 years.

"I will really will miss it. I'm really going to miss everyone, doing my job," he said. "It's like being with family here."

ABC11 first introduced viewers to Lee two years after a picture was taken at 42nd Street Oyster Bar. Lee was having a hard time eating his meal and the server stepped in to feed him. The photo went viral.

Lee is facing unemployment and hopes someone else will hire him.

"I would like to retire, but I do need a job and I would like to work somewhere else," he said.

Former Kroger Store Manager Ed Canova, who helped Lee celebrate his 20th anniversary, joins the hope that someone will open their arms and doors to Lee.

"Lee brought his best every single day. Customers love him, and I see him as a daily inspiration to me if I'm having a bad day..I just know how hard he works and what he's bringing," said Canova.

The Kroger on Falls of Neuse Road is one of 14 stores closing the Raleigh-Durham area. The company says there are too many grocers in the market.

The Falls of Neuse location will become a Food Lion. Some other stores will become Harris Teeters.