First day of school jitters are enough to bring anyone to tears. Luckily, it was an 8-year-old boy’s kind gesture that ultimately helped turn his classmate’s frown upside-down.
Now their sweet friendship is melting hearts across the internet and giving folks a much-needed lesson in courtesy and kindness.
Courtney Moore recalled the moment she noticed her son, Christian, 8, comforting another child who was visibly upset upon returning to school for the first day of classes at Minneha Elementary in Wichita, Kansas.
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“I saw him on the ground with (the other student) Connor as he was crying in the corner, and he was consoling him,” Moore told news outlet KAKE. “He grabs his hand and he walks him to the front door. We waited until the bell rang and he walked him inside of the school.”
What Christian didn’t know at the time is that his new friend Connor has autism, a developmental disorder that can make it difficult to interact or effectively communicate with others. Connor, 8, was overwhelmed by all that was going on around him and had a not-so-great start to his day — that is, until Christian lent him a hand.
“The rest is history. They have an inseparable bond,” Moore added.
She captured a photo of the boys walking hand-in-hand into school, a moment that has since gone viral.
Social media users warmed by the touching moment couldn’t help but gush over Christian’s kind gesture.
“Just awesome! I tear up every time I see this photo,” wrote one Facebook user. “Just imagine what this world would look like if everyone carried this much compassion in their hearts.”
“He is something so very special,” wrote another, adding that Christian’s actions, “says alot about his parents!!”
One woman gushed: “The innocent beauty of caring for others is epitomized in this gesture by your son. Such strength to show ‘gentle kindness!’ 💖”
“Such sweet boys…. 💙 hopefully they will remain friends for life,” another user chimed in.
Connor’s mother, April Crites. is equally thrilled by their Connor and Christian’s fast friendship. She noted how she fears her son’s disability could make him a target for bullying.
“I fear everyday that someone is going to laugh at him because he doesn’t speak correctly, or laugh at him because he doesn’t sit still or because he jumps up and down and flaps his hands,” Crites explained.
But Christian didn’t see anything different about his new friend, a lesson their moms hope others can take away from this.
“It doesn’t matter color, it doesn’t matter gender, it doesn’t matter disability, and it doesn’t matter anything,” Crites added. “Just be kind, open your heart. It’s what we need in this world.”
Recalling the moment, Connor said his tears turned from sadness to joy when he realized he had a friend in his corner.
“He was kind to me. It was in the first day of school and I started crying then he helped me and I was happy,” he said.
Watch more in the video below.
