In a world that often seems cloudy, Alexander Ferla-Coirazza is a ray of sunshine, reminding us that dreams can come true with a little bit of courage and a lot of heart.
From the time he was a little boy, Alex always wanted to be a weatherman. Now, he’s pursuing that dream every day in the Lachenaie Walmart in Quebec, where he’s currently a Fashion Associate.
"When I read the weather, it’s like I’m dreaming," says Alex. "I like to share the weather with everyone!"
Alex took matters into his own hands to make that dream come true. Almost two years ago, on his birthday, Alex mustered up the courage to ask his department manager if he could provide a weather report over the store’s PA system.
Although he was too shy to ask Store Manager Valerie Simard directly, to his surprise and delight, she responded with open arms. She said, “Not only can you do the weather forecast for today, but if you feel like it, you can do it every day."
Since September 2023, Alex has provided a daily weather report every morning before the start of his shift at 7:30 a.m. Sharing the weather each day is just one of the many ways Alex contributes as part of the team at the Lachenaie Walmart.
When Alex first applied for a job at Walmart, his supportive dad Frank Coirazza accompanied him. Frank chatted with Store Manager Valerie, sharing that Alex is neurodivergent, in hopes that Walmart hires neurodivergent people—and we certainly do.
Valerie recalls, "The best decision I made was hiring Alex. He always comes to work with a great smile and a fantastic attitude. He’s exceptionally hardworking, and you can always trust him to get the job done."
Sylvie, the lead department manager, added, "Working at Walmart is his passion. His good mood is contagious. We fondly call him Mr. Weatherman or Mr. Smile. He makes the world around him brighter, and that’s what makes him special."
“Because of him, the word 'no' doesn’t exist in my vocabulary," said Frank, Alex’s dad. "No matter what child you have, no matter what disability they might have, encourage them to do what they want in life. This is the most important gift you can give them."
To support his dream to become a weatherman, Alex recently met with Walmart Emergency Operations Centre Sr. Manager and Meteorologist Tom Bedard.
“Meeting Tom was an amazing experience,” said Alex. “I was so happy to speak to someone who loves the weather as much as I do. We talked about everything from weather systems to major weather events like tornadoes!”
At Walmart, the sky’s the limit. We'll be cheering Alex on and watching him chase his dreams, rain or shine, with lots of excitement and pride.
