Three-year-old Hunter Jerrier has Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, and because he's nonverbal, he uses his iPad to speak.
Hunter's father, Brian Jerrier, says the gateway to understanding his son's wants and needs is his iPad, which is loaded with special programs to help out his little one.
"They didn't just steal an iPad. They stole his voice." Theft at local bakery strips non-verbal 3-year-old's ability to communicate. The gesture that's restoring his parents faith in others #Boston25 at 1030 pic.twitter.com/kYDJYWkL2b
— Drew Karedes (@DrewKaredes) March 26, 2018
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However, on Saturday, during a trip to White's Bakery in Brockton, Hunter's method of communication was stripped from him when someone stole his gadget.
His parents said someone took it from a counter just minutes after they accidentally left it there.
"As a grown, 40-year-old man it made me cry. It was my fault because I put it down. I felt like I let him down because it's the only way he can communicate with us," Brian said.
The Jerriers thought it was a lost cause until they received a phone call less than 24 hours after the theft from a manager at the bakery.
The manager offered to replace the iPad and followed through with his word.
"There are still good people out there that, in a really crummy situation, made it easier for him, easier for us and did it so quickly," said Amanda Jerrier, Hunter's mom.
Now, the Jerriers said the last way to right this wrong is for the thief to come forward.
"I would like to know how it would feel if you were unable to speak in any type of way," Brian said.
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