Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

A woman using a wheelchair was left shaken after a parking attendant chased her downhill and berated her for parking in a disabled spot—despite her having every legal right to do so. Madeline Delp ( @madelinedelp on TikTok) shared the unsettling experience in a series of videos, sparking outrage and support from viewers.

Delp had parked in a wheelchair-accessible spot near a business complex before heading to a doctor's appointment. However, as she made her way down a hill, a parking attendant aggressively pursued her, accusing her of misusing the spot.


"He told me he was going to get my car towed."

@madelinedelp

"I was trying to tell him about the situation, but he wouldn't let me speak," Delp explained. Instead, he repeatedly interrupted her, saying, "Shame on you."


Screenshot from the TikTok video showing Delp mid-conversationDelp tries to explain her legal right to park in the accessible spot.TikTok | @madelinedelp

She attempted to inform the man that under California law, she was legally allowed to park in any disabled spot, even in a private business lot. However, he refused to listen.

A frustrating ordeal

Delp explained that accessible parking is particularly crucial for her because she needs extra space to lower a ramp before exiting her vehicle. But instead of being met with understanding, she felt intimidated and had to make a difficult decision.

Fearing her car would be towed, she pushed herself back up the hill, got back in her vehicle, and circled the block to find another parking spot at a different business. After her appointment, she returned to the parking lot, determined to explain the situation to the attendant and encourage him to show more kindness in the future.

"I am going to go explain this to him so he can have kindness for people in the future."

@madelinedelp

However, when she tried to talk to him, he refused to engage. Instead, he mockingly recorded her with a smirk on his face.

"I never touched you," the man said, denying that he had said "Shame on you." When she attempted to clarify things, he cut her off and walked away, sarcastically saying, "Thank you very much." He also refused to direct her to his superior.

A shift in attitude—but only after outside intervention

After the frustrating exchange, Delp went inside a store in the complex to report the incident. A staff member assured her that they would contact the property manager. At the same time, another customer—who appeared to be an influential man—overheard her story and decided to step in.

Screenshot from the TikTok videoAfter an intervention, the attendant finally acknowledges his mistake.TikTok | @madelinedelp

When this customer confronted the parking attendant, the man’s attitude changed completely.

"He came up to me, and he was like, 'I am sorry, I didn’t know that this was the law that you could park here, even if you weren’t coming to this business first,'" Delp recounted.

She expressed frustration that he had only listened when a man told him the same thing she had tried to explain earlier. Though he technically apologized, he remained dismissive, leaving Delp to wonder whether she should take further action.

People urge her to report the incident

Many viewers encouraged Delp to report the attendant's behavior, noting that his apology seemed insincere.

"Take it further. He didn't listen until a man told him he was wrong."

@kellydabunny

@shazzergraz agreed, saying, "I would absolutely call the property manager. Acknowledge his apology but also tell them it shouldn’t have gotten to that point."

@breanncookie echoed the sentiment: "Definitely take it further. He didn’t apologize, not really. And honestly, only did it because of some (respectable) suit."

The bigger issue: accessibility and accountability

This incident highlights a common problem disabled individuals face—having to constantly justify their rights in public spaces. Accessible parking spots exist for a reason, and people with disabilities shouldn’t have to fight for their right to use them.

 @madelinedelp I was so shaken up by this encounter today… The hardest thing about living in LA has been the hostility and ignorant actions I’ve received from people who don’t understand what it takes to park as a wheelchair user. #storytime #wheelchair #handicapped #ada #parking ♬ original sound - Madeline Delp 

Encounters like this one show the importance of public education on disability laws and sensitivity training for those in positions of authority. While Delp’s story had some resolution, many others in similar situations aren’t as fortunate.

 @madelinedelp Should I say something to his manager? Or just hope he doesn’t do it again?? #part2 #wheelchairpart2 #storytime #disability ♬ original sound - Madeline Delp 

If you see discrimination happening, speak up. Whether it’s reporting an incident, advocating for better policies, or simply supporting someone in need, every action counts in making public spaces more inclusive for all.

More For You

Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Representative Image: The first moments of a child's life can be precarious, but new moms have power in these moments.

Representative image by Canva

Her baby was pronounced dead. What happened when she held him stunned the room.

Life rarely gives us the storybook moment where darkness turns to triumph—but it does happen. Kate and David Ogg had such a moment. The Australian couple welcomed premature twins into the world on March 25, 2010, but their joy quickly turned to heartbreak when doctors told them that their baby boy, Jamie, hadn’t survived. What happened next would become a story of love, resilience, and the extraordinary power of a mother’s touch.

Kate and David had been ecstatic to learn they were expecting twins, but their excitement was overshadowed when the babies arrived prematurely at just 27 weeks. Doctors worked tirelessly to save them, but after 20 minutes of efforts, Jamie was pronounced dead. Devastated, the medical team placed his tiny body on Kate’s chest so she could say her goodbyes.

Keep ReadingShow less
CEO sends job seeker an email by mistake—her bold response goes viral
Representative photo by Canva

CEO sends job seeker an email by mistake—her bold response goes viral

Mistakenly receiving emails isn’t unusual, but getting one directly from a CEO about your job application is another story altogether. Shannon Brooke (@shanbrooke_ on TikTok), a 27-year-old job seeker from Scotland, recently faced exactly that scenario. Brooke, who currently works at a coffee shop, shared her unusual experience on TikTok, drawing widespread attention and appreciation for her witty response.


Keep ReadingShow less
There's a new way to sign off of emails.

Representative Image: Sometimes "bye" is enough, right?

Gen Z is ditching ‘sincerely’ for hilarious email sign-offs, and people are loving it

If you've ever stared at the end of an email wondering if "Warm regards" sounded too stiff or if "Best" was just too boring, you're not alone. But Gen Z might have the best solution yet—just make it weird.

A viral TikTok has captured the internet’s attention with a series of unexpected, chaotic, and downright funny email sign-offs from young professionals. Instead of the usual business formalities, these sign-offs include things like “Hehe bye,” “That’s all… mmm… yeah,” and the ever-iconic “Alright, alright, alright.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Actor James Avery; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air logo

Uncle Phil, played by actor James Avery, on the sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Kingkongphoto/Wikipedia

Why millennials are saying Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince is the greatest TV dad ever

Sitcoms hit a peak in the 80s and 90s—and most Millennials can claim that they 'grew up' with them. A lot of time it was the father figures in these TV shows who proved to be standout characters, but one dad captured Millennials hearts over all the rest: Uncle Phil, played by actor James Avery in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Uncle Phil was deemed the best sitcom dad by Millennials, and he earned the title from one of his show's most impactful scenes from the episode "Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse" that aired in May 1994.

In it, Will (played by actor Will Smith) spends time with his dad Lou, who has been absent for the past 14 years. Uncle Phil is distrustful of Lou and protective over his nephew Will. So when Lou decides to dip out on a trip he planned with Will, Uncle Phil steps into Will's pain and supports him. It plays out as one of the most emotional scenes Millennials can remember–making Uncle Phil the best TV dad in their eyes.

Keep ReadingShow less

Dad explains how he 'protects' daughter by taking her into the women's bathroom

While some states have made great progress in improving the child changing stations in men's bathrooms, many still lag behind. A few years ago, father Charles Mau went viral when he shared the appalling conditions he encountered while changing his daughter.

That's why Chronicles of Daddy blogger Muhammed Nitoto decided to share his solution to the problem: taking his daughter into the women's bathroom instead. In a viral Instagram post, Nitoto explained that he does so to "protect" his daughter from "all things that aren't for them, and the men's bathroom is 100% one of those things."

Keep ReadingShow less