Tim Harris has a great deal to be proud of.

“Tim The Man” to those who know him, he’s accomplished more in his 27 years than some people accomplish in an entire lifetime. A Special Olympian, he has dozens of gold medals. He’s lived on a sailboat and is well-known in the Bahamas as an excellent sailor and fisherman. He graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 2008 with certificates in food service, office skills, and restaurant hosting. He’s now living independently, and really enjoying the fact that he can walk to work – the restaurant that he owns is just next door.

Tim had dreamed of owning his own restaurant since his early teen years, and opened “Tim’s Place” in Albuquerque in 2010.  Billed as “The World’s Friendliest Restaurant”, “Tim’s Place” serves breakfast, lunch, and free hugs from Tim. Tim greets each customer and figures that he’s given over 40,000 free hugs since his restaurant opened. His success has gotten him profiled on CNN and in People magazine.

Running a successful restaurant is difficult enough without having to navigate the unique social barriers that people with disabilities face. Congratulations to Tim Harris for finding a way to knock down those barriers and keep living his dreams every day.

View the CNN profile about Tim Harris, including a video of him talking about his life and his restaurant, here.

Visit the “Tim’s Place” website at www.timsplaceabq.com

Image description black and white photograph of woman with long light brown hair smiling and holding a cane which is resting on her cheek. Dark grey text reads: Sarah Levis : Freelance writer, disability advocate, and political news junkie. Read more from Sara on Ollibean and visit girlwiththecane.com..