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[AxelFoley]

The camera. Right.

You sayin she's thirsty, brah? LOL

 

[Trouble]

This Travis Rudolph fellow seems alright.

 

[RoninChaos]

Read this a few days ago and loved it.

Makes me think about all of the kids out there who sit alone at lunch on a regular basis.

Always remember that the most innocuous acts can have such a profound effect.

Exactly. Being kind is free.

 

[Lkr]

FSU > Florida

for sure

 

[LosDaddie]

FSU > Florida

Best first post on GAF ever.

 

[ReadingRambo]

Seems a little undersized for college football.

 

[opticalmace]

Seems a little undersized for college football.

I think for his position he's pretty average.

 

[DarkJediKnight]

As someone with Aspergers, we can be oblivious at times to the cruelty and meanness of others. I remember getting set up for a rather mean prank by some classmates and was happy just because people were laughing and paying attention to me. I didn't realize til i was older and more self aware of myself and my quirks just how fucked up that prank was.

I hear you. I am dyslexic and partially color blind. I had friends, not going to lie, but I also had kids who pretended to be my friend so they can use me to pull pranks.

I cannot tell the difference between green, blue and black for starters and they relentlessly pranked me on it and my reading and writing because I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing.

It considered myself extremely dumb until a university friend forced me to take an IQ test. I scored 154 - considered genius level. But I struggle with juggling multiple outcomes to this day. Ie. What are the consequences of crossing a road on a red light. I cannot say how most people think, but I usually have 8-10 options that leave me unable to decide. I made progress but I know I'm different.

 

[deadlast]

Kids don't have the ability to recognize that kids who are "different" from them still deserve friends and social interaction.

That's a failure on the parents who don't recognize that discussing issues like autism, Down's Syndrome, and IDD in other children help teach their kids tolerance and acceptance.

If you have the ability to single someone out because they are different, you have the ability to show compassion for them being different. That failure is on the children as well as the parents and the school.

My son was in special needs soccer, and one of the helper kids was asking why the autistic kids were doing autistic things rather than helping. Yet all of his buddies were assisting and being helpful. He eventually started helping and stopped making comments without adults prompting him. The point is, kids know when they are being shitty and will either choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing.

 

[Shmuppers]

That's really cool of the dude

 

[Wandering Robot]

Superb man. Just wonderful.
I hope his influence means things will be better for the kid, since I bet his classmates know about this. If only there was this kindness for everyone eating alone; I know I would've appreciated it back in my school days.

 

[kingslunk]

I know that feel. I sat alone plenty of times in school.

Same. Went to 7 different schools (different states/school districts) in my youth. I've done the sit alone during lunch thing more times than I can think of. It's awful feels.

 

[jwk94]

I feel like that picture kind of sums up the college experience vs. grade school experience.

Once you're out of grade school all of that clique pecking order stuff goes straight out of the window.

Eh, I'd say that depends on your major. I know my first major wasn't really cliquey, but then when I switched to Liberal Arts, the girls had already formed their little groups and didn't really do much mingling outside of them.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Pure class. My daughter is autistic, so this really warms my heart.

 

[VanquishUK]

Imagining that image without Travis sitting with him just makes me sad. Nice story.

 

[Keri]

We would all live in a much better world, if everyone took the time to make such kind and simple gestures. This man deserves all of the positive attention he's getting. I really hope my son can grow up to be like him or, alternatively, if my son grows up to be the kid alone at the table, I hope there are more people like Travis around.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

Superb man. Just wonderful.
I hope his influence means things will be better for the kid, since I bet his classmates know about this. If only there was this kindness for everyone eating alone; I know I would've appreciated it back in my school days.

"Actually, yesterday in the cafeteria he was sitting at a table full of girls," Bo's mom, Leah Paske, said. "He was the most popular kid in the room. ... He had a seat at the table full of people".

 

[Escape Goat]

As bad as it is for the kid I can't help but feel terrible for his parents. It must be hell to see your child being shunned because he is different and theres nothing you can do about it. Part of my business deals with kids with severe health conditions and I have so much respect for these parents who do so much for their child.

 

[LelouchZero]

How beautiful! I know that feel of sitting alone at school.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

Why look.

It's raining.

 

[Jabronium]

All of the off season and off the field horrors have completely turned me off from football over the last couple years. This, however, is a great story, hats off to the young man.

 

[Usobuko]

feels so sorry for the kid

great gesture by the man.