Dylan and a Side of Laughter
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Andres Chaves
Team Okamoto
Story Summary
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Dylan White, 28, has become an essential part of the staff at B2Q BBQ, a local barbecue establishment in Kennett, Mo. Every shift, Dylan supports the chefs in the kitchen by prepping the food. He pulls bones from the freshly smoked pork shoulder, which is a staple of the restaurant and runs meals to customers
“[Dylan] makes our day,” said Jimbo Kulin, one of Dylan’s coworkers and friends. “He keeps us going.”
At the age of six, Dylan was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Unbothered by his condition, Dylan works tirelessly and swiftly despite his constant stimming. For many people with autism, stimming is a form of emotional and nervous system self-regulation. His joyful demeanor brings happiness to those around him, and his laughter drowns out the sound of stainless steel cookware and the constant hum of kitchen appliances.
The B2Q BBQ staff see Dylan as more than merely an employee. To them he is a part of their family. And, the sentiment is reciprocated. Although they are not related by blood, B2Q BBQ owner Brian Grubb is protective of Dylan and respect is an integral component of their relationship.
“I will never let anyone take advantage of him,” Grubb said. “We are a family.” Dylan is well known in the communities of Kennett and Holcomb. As a former Holcomb High School student, he supports the local sport teams.
“He is Holcomb’s number one Hornets supporter,” said Emily Heuring, who is the town’s elementary school principal and Dylan’s former counselor.
“You can be having a bad day, and his laughter will make your day,” said Hunter Lawrence, a 19-year-old former Holcomb student.
Dylan White, 28, center, watches orders come in with the rest of the staff at B2Q BBQ in Kennett, Mo. Employees at this local barbecue restaurant bagged pick-up orders as tickets piled up during the midday rush.
Dylan White writes his name on the styrofoam cup he’ll use for the day. Every day, he writes his name on a cup at B2Q BBQ. Brian Grubb, the owner of the establishment, said Dylan, who has autism, thrives when he can follow a daily routine.
As a kitchen helper, Dylan White carries a pan from the kitchen to the storage room on at B2Q BBQ. White’s responsibilities include operating the fryer, serving side dishes and bringing kitchenware to the dishwasher. As a part of his daily routine, White walks around the kitchen to make sure every utensil is in the correct location and ready for use.
As a perk of his job, Dylan fixes himself his favorite dish. “He puts just about everything on his fries — cheese, pork, jalapeños, and a lot of onions,” said B2Q BBQ employee Jimbo Kullin as Dylan expertly moves as he reaches for all the ingredients needed for his meal.
A coworker hands Dylan White a dirty rag. Regardless of how unpleasant a task may be, Dylan completes it. White is a survivor of Hodgkins Disease. “Even when he had cancer he smiled all the way through,” said his mother, Rhonda White.
Dylan White carries two wires, meticulously bent in the exact same way, around the kitchen at B2Q BBQ. “He always has to have something in his hands” says his mother Rhonda White. The wires are emotionally significant to him.
Dylan White moves swiftly through the kitchen. Sometimes he exhibits self-stimulatory behavior like rubbing his arms.
Rhonda White holds her phone so her son Dylan White can have a FaceTime conversation with one of his nephews in the dining room of B2Q BBQ.
Dylan White enjoys the Delta Fair Parade outside of B2Q BBQ. He watched the parade with colleagues and held a sign advertising the restaurant.
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