Down Syndrome is a type of intellectual disability that is caused by a malfunction in the human genome, specifically the 21st chromosome.
People who suffer from Down Syndrome usually aren’t able to live as independently as their counterparts of average mental capability are.
Freia David, who died earlier this week at the age of 55, was a longtime employee McDonald’s. As a matter of fact, Ms. David worked for McDonald’s for roughly 32 years.
Even more interestingly, Freia David only worked in one restaurant throughout her entire career with McDonald’s, which was located in Needham.
Ms. David had been retired from her long-held job at that Needham McDonald’s fast food restaurant for just about three years at the time of her death.
CBS Boston, a local news channel that generally covers local news in Boston, Massachusetts, has previously done a story on Ms. Freia, during which reporters shared that Freia David was also the most friendly employee there.
Further, she was generally more willing to talk than the remainder of her counterparts at the Needham McDonald’s.
The Boston Globe, a newspaper that is located in none other than Boston, Massachusetts, also published an obituary for Ms. Freia David, which, in part, recognized the fact that she was able to work just as well as anybody else without letting her Down Syndrome get in the way.
Freia David first got her job at the Needham McDonald’s 35 years ago, in 1984.
It is with great sadness that we inform you that Freia David passed away peacefully April 30. She had a long career at McDonalds, was a gracious, fun-loving lady who enjoyed drawing, listening to music, and dancing. She loved her family, housemates, and staff. She will be missed. pic.twitter.com/1EWqRKS8jX
— Charles River Center (@charlesrivercen) May 7, 2019
Ms. David was given the job through a program that places employees who are disabled intellectually at jobs that they will be able to manage.
The name of the program through which Ms. Freia David found employment was called the Charles River Center’s job placement program.
Ms. David actually lived at the Charles River Center in Needham in the three-odd years since she had retired from her job at McDonald’s.
She was found there at the time of her death.
The Charles River Center, believe it or not, worked with Freia David as one of its initial interactions with people who needed work but were intellectually disabled.
A service for Ms. Freia David is slated to be held on June 18, 2019, in Needham at the George F. Doherty & Son’s Funeral Home 30 minutes prior to noon.
