Florida State wide receiver Travis Rudolph is my new hero and should be yours too

[edjr 5,567]

Aren't you tired of hearing about athletes that do wrong and beat women and don't stand for the national anthem?

 

Me too.

 

We need more stories like Travis Rudolph.

 

 

 

This is your daily reminder of the good in the world.

Bo Paske is an autistic student at Montford Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida. He was sitting alone at lunch, and Florida State wide receiver Travis Rudolph took notice.

His mom told the story on Facebook:

Several times lately I have tried to remember my time in middle school, did I like all my teachers, do I even remember them? Did I have many friends? Did I sit with anyone at lunch? Just how mean were kids really? I remember one kid on the bus called me "Tammy Fay Baker" bc I started awkwardly wearing eye liner in the sixth grade, I remember being tough and calling him a silly name back, but when he couldn't see me anymore I cried. I do remember middle school being scary, and hard. Now that I have a child starting middle school, I have feelings of anxiety for him, and they can be overwhelming if I let them. Sometimes I'm grateful for his autism. That may sound like a terrible thing to say, but in some ways I think, I hope, it shields him. He doesn't seem to notice when people stare at him when he flaps his hands. He doesn't seem to notice that he doesn't get invited to birthday parties anymore. And he doesn't seem to mind if he eats lunch alone. It's one of my daily questions for him. Was there a time today you felt sad? Who did you eat lunch with today? Sometimes the answer is a classmate, but most days it's nobody. Those are the days I feel sad for him, but he doesn't seem to mind. He is a super sweet child, who always has a smile and hug for everyone he meets. A friend of mine sent this beautiful picture to me today and when I saw it with the caption "Travis Rudolph is eating lunch with your son" I replied "who is that?" He said "FSU football player", then I had tears streaming down my face. Travis Rudolph, a wide receiver at Florida State, and several other FSU players visited my sons school today. I'm not sure what exactly made this incredibly kind man share a lunch table with my son, but I'm happy to say that it will not soon be forgotten. This is one day I didn't have to worry if my sweet boy ate lunch alone, because he sat across from someone who is a hero in many eyes. Travis Rudolph thank you so much, you made this momma exceedingly happy, and have made us fans for life! #travisrudolph #gonoles #FSU #autismmom #fansforlife

 

 

"I was just a kid not too long ago and I remember what the impact was of guys that played in college and in the NFL coming back to us," Rudolph said. "So I feel like maybe I can change someone's life or I can make someone a better person or make someone want to be great or be like me, or even better."

 

 

Rudolph racked up 916 receiving yards last year, and it looks as if his junior season is already off to a great start.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-FSUplayermakeskidsday-160830/a-middle-schooler-was-lonely-lunch-fsu-wr-came-rescue

 

 

[Reality 2,710]

Read about that this morning, very cool.

 

 

Crap, hadn't read the Mom's facebook post, that made me tear up...

 

I'm becoming such a crier in my advancing years.

 

[Cruzer 1,992]

Jep, nice to hear a good story for once.

[parrot 789]

[edjr 5,567]

 

I'm becoming such a crier in my advancing years.

 

 

totally. Same here.

 

Since I had my son I am focking niagra falls over everything.

[Cruzer 1,992]

I hope his gesture resonated with the other kids.. Highly doubt it, but I hope.

[parrot 789]

 

 

Crap, hadn't read the Mom's facebook post, that made me tear up...

I'm becoming such a crier in my advancing years.

 

 

I'm glad it wasn't just me.

[parrot 789]

I hope his gesture resonated with the other kids.. Highly doubt it, but I hope.

 

They probably beat the autistic kid up for hogging one of the football players.

[wiffleball 4,642]

 

totally. Same here.

 

Since I had my son I am focking niagra falls over everything.

And we remember back in the day when you were just plain "Falls over everything."

[vuduchile 1,941]

Good for him.

 

The world could use a lot more of this.

[Cruzer 1,992]

 

They probably beat the autistic kid up for hogging one of the football players.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

[wiffleball 4,642]

We didn't have autistic kids when I was growing up.

 

I think they showed up about the same time the kids started wearing helmets to ride their bikes. I was already in college by then. The world was never the same again

[edjr 5,567]

We didn't have autistic kids when I was growing up.

 

I think they showed up about the same time the kids started wearing helmets to ride their bikes. I was already in college by then. The world was never the same again

 

please take your hate into another thread.

[Mungwater 588]

That is true, when I grew up they pronounced autistic "assh0les"

[southcarolina 166]

I'm glad it wasn't just me.

 

You guys are wusses. Im chopping onions so i have an excuse. But you guys.....

[dain11279 928]

Awesome

[wiffleball 4,642]

I'm not really sure What Ass Burgers is, But I'm pretty sure that's the worst name for a fast food joint ever.

[parrot 789]

We had a little Rain Man autistic kid in my neighborhood when I was a kid. His name was Tony. He was a big sports fan and could quote stats like crazy, and this was before the internet days. He did a killer Howard Cosell impression and would recite word for word what Howard had said in big sports moments. He would sit and watch us play sports for hours while simultaneously reading encyclopedias and could quote passages on about any subject you would ask him about. No one was ever mean to him, he was like everyone's little brother. We were focking fascinated by him.

[wiffleball 4,642]

We had a little Rain Man autistic kid in my neighborhood when I was a kid. His name was Tony. He was a big sports fan and could quote stats like crazy, and this was before the internet days. He did a killer Howard Cosell impression and would recite word for word what Howard had said in big sports moments. He would sit and watch us play sports for hours while simultaneously reading encyclopedias and could quote passages on about any subject you would ask him about. No one was ever mean to him, he was like everyone's little brother. We were focking fascinated by him.

 

That kid grew up to be Bob Costas.

[porkbutt 861]

 

His mom told the story on Facebook:

Quote

Several times lately I have tried to remember my time in middle school, did I like all my teachers, do I even remember them? Did I have many friends? Did I sit with anyone at lunch? Just how mean were kids really? I remember one kid on the bus called me "Tammy Fay Baker" bc I started awkwardly wearing eye liner in the sixth grade, I remember being tough and calling him a silly name back, but when he couldn't see me anymore I cried.

 

wait MDC's son is autistic? i thought he just had a big head.

[edjr 5,567]

 

wait MDC's son is autistic? i thought he just had a big head.

 

 

[RLLD 3,455]

Great story, kudos to the kid for taking the time and doing something meaningful, just great....

[Hardcore troubadour 12,653]

Can size on this mom?

[Hardcore troubadour 12,653]

 

 

wait MDC's son is autistic? i thought he just had a big head.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,585]

damn I am glad to know we all are a bunch of pansies for happy good stories

 

now I need to go wash something out of my eyes, they won't stop watering

[Cruzer 1,992]

End of the month, we're all menstruating.

[mighty_thor 115]

I hope his gesture resonated with the other kids.. Highly doubt it, but I hope.

I have an autistic child in his 1st year of middle school and I can say that today's kids are way nicer than they were in my day. That being said he really does not have any 'close' friends at school and I often worry about how he handles things like lunchtime. It's often one of the first questions I ask his teacher at the parents-teacher conference.

[Cruzer 1,992]

I have an autistic child in his 1st year of middle school and I can say that today's kids are way nicer than they were in my day. That being said he really does not have any 'close' friends at school and I often worry about how he handles things like lunchtime. It's often one of the first questions I ask his teacher at the parents-teacher conference.

I sure hope kids are nicer today... I know we made fun of a lot of kids and not everybody was nice back in the 70's. I regret how I treated a few kids back then.

[edjr 5,567]

I have an autistic child in his 1st year of middle school and I can say that today's kids are way nicer than they were in my day. That being said he really does not have any 'close' friends at school and I often worry about how he handles things like lunchtime. It's often one of the first questions I ask his teacher at the parents-teacher conference.

 

I pray no one ever picks on any kid like the way I picked on kids when I was in school. Fock I was an evil bastard

[dain11279 928]

[edjr 5,567]

 

18 years ago, holy sh1t.

 

Sad world we live in. This movie would have have never see the light of day today, thanks to the liberal pussbags running amok.

[mighty_thor 115]

 

I pray no one ever picks on any kid like the way I picked on kids when I was in school. Fock I was an evil bastard

Me too.

 

And now that I know a lot more about autism, I tend to think back when I went to school and and remember kids that were probably on the autism spectrum. I remember one kid who was pretty smart bookwise but he was a total odd ball socially. Even some teachers treated the kid badly.

 

I remember this deaf kid in my neighborhood who we treated badly and made fun of the noises he used to make.

[edjr 5,567]

Me too.

 

And now that I know a lot more about autism, I tend to think back when I went to school and and remember kids that were probably on the autism spectrum. I remember one kid who was pretty smart bookwise but he was a total odd ball socially. Even some teachers treated the kid badly.

 

I remember this deaf kid in my neighborhood who we treated badly and made fun of the noises he used to make.

 

Hell, I was so evil I picked on the actual retarded kids. Were like 4 of them in high school, just trying to be normal and fit in. The all hung around together. The tardpack if you will.

 

I got kicked out of cooking class for repeatedly picking on one of them.

 

Would put my hand in the flour and then pat him on the back. Get a hand full of crisco and rub it in his hair.

 

Focking ay man. Why you gotta make me remember this stuff

[wiffleball 4,642]

 

I remember this deaf kid in my neighborhood who we treated badly and made fun of the noises he used to make.

 

We had a really cool/hot girl in school whose parents were both deaf.

 

We used to crank call from down the street into their cul de sac at night

 

 

Because every time we called, all the lights on the house would flash.

 

Cracked us up every time.

 

And, she loved the fact that nobody walked on eggshells around her.

 

she used to run out the front door and curse a blue streak at us

 

- Because her folks couldn't hear her.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,653]

 

We had a really cool/hot girl in school whose parents were both deaf.

 

We used to crank call from down the street into their cul de sac at night

 

 

Because every time we called, all the lights on the house would flash.

 

Cracked us up every time.

 

And, she loved the fact that nobody walked on eggshells around her.

 

she used to run out the front door and curse a blue streak at us

 

- Because her folks couldn't hear her.

You belong in an institution

[frank 2,145]

I have an autistic child in his 1st year of middle school and I can say that today's kids are way nicer than they were in my day. That being said he really does not have any 'close' friends at school and I often worry about how he handles things like lunchtime. It's often one of the first questions I ask his teacher at the parents-teacher conference.

Is he getting any ABA treatment?

[mighty_thor 115]

Is he getting any ABA treatment?

He got private ABA treatment when he was younger (3-6) and it helped him progress for a while but then I didn't think he was getting much out of it. Then he went to a special private school (that the district paid for) and he progressed dramatically. Then the district brought him back into the public school where his academics have improved. He still gets a certain amount of ABA as one of his specialists at his school is a BCBA. But he doesn't really have severe behavioral issues. At this point he just doesn't have interactive skills as well as falling behind academically.

[mmmmm...beer 691]

Fockin dusty in this stupid computer machine rooms!

[frank 2,145]

He got private ABA treatment when he was younger (3-6) and it helped him progress for a while but then I didn't think he was getting much out of it. Then he went to a special private school (that the district paid for) and he progressed dramatically. Then the district brought him back into the public school where his academics have improved. He still gets a certain amount of ABA as one of his specialists at his school is a BCBA. But he doesn't really have severe behavioral issues. At this point he just doesn't have interactive skills as well as falling behind academically.

Just checking. I know several BCBAs and I know a lot of parents don't know what to do. If you are not satisfied with his progress, you should talk to the BCBA and with someone else if you aren't satisfied with what they have to say.

 

Not that, you know, you asked.

[shotsup 832]