Parents build Blockbuster for son with autism after his favorite store closes
For years, Hector Zuniga has made weekly trips to the local Blockbuster in Mission, Texas, with his family.
The 20-year-old, who has autism, would visit the store two, sometimes three, times a week. It was a routine he really enjoyed.
So when employees at the video store pulled Hector's parents aside one day to tell them they were going to close in April, they knew the news would be devastating.
"He loved Blockbuster so much," Hector's brother, 19-year-old Javier, told CBS News. "It was one of his favorite places to go."
Hector is non-verbal, but he can still very clearly express his emotions — and seeing him upset is never easy.
To help Hector with this transition, his father, Hector Sr. and mother, Rosa, decided to bring the store to him.
They ordered dozens of his favorite DVDs — Rugrats, Baby Einstein, Blues Clues, Elmo and Veggie Tales. They even bought a shelf from Blockbuster, complete with the company's signature blue and yellow logo, and placed it next to a bookshelf in their family room.
The shelves were stocked with movies and TV box sets.
"They decided to make this Blockbuster because they knew he wasn't going to understand that Blockbuster was closing down," Javier explained.
On Sunday, the store's closing day, Hector said goodbye to his beloved Blockbuster and returned home to find his very own personal movie section.
"He was super happy when he saw the surprise and was clapping and laughing of joy," Javier said.
There will be good days and bad days as Hector learns to adjust his routine — but the mini Blockbuster should help, Javier said.
"My brother was surprised and so happy to see it," he said.
