Florida State wide receiver joins lone sixth grader for lunch
A mother who is used to worrying about how her son spends his lunch hour got a day off from that worry when Florida State University wide receiver Travis Rudolph sat with her child for lunch after seeing him sitting alone.
The photo of the shared lunch at Tallahassee’s Montford Middle School was shared on social media.
The 20-year-old was one of five players visiting the school that day to meet with students when he saw autistic sixth-grader Bo Paske sitting alone at lunch. He asked if he could sit with him.
According to Rudolph, the two had a great conversation, and Bo was a “cool” person he would enjoy hanging out with anytime.
One of the boy’s first questions to the player was if he was in the NFL. Rudolph answered, “not yet.”
Bo also shared with Rudolph his love for Florida State.
Leah Paske, the boy’s mother, was in tears at the football player’s kindness. Bo often spends lunchtime alone.
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Paske posted on Facebook about the challenges Bo faces due to his autism.
She says that she feels that while his autism causes problems, it also keeps him from understanding the rejection that comes from not being invited to parties and eating 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,” Paske wrote in the post to Facebook.
“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.”
On Tuesday, around lunchtime, she got a picture sent to her by a friend that had the caption ‘Travis Rudolph is eating lunch with your son.”
She wasn’t sure who that was at first, but her friend quickly filled her in. She said she “had tears streaming down her face” at the news.
‘Travis Rudolph, a wide receiver at Florida State, and several other FSU players visited my sons school today,” Paske said on Facebook.
“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!”
Rudolph saw the post and said it nearly brought him to tears.
Jimbo Fisher, the head coach at the university, stated that he was “extremely proud” of his player and “he made some young man’s day.”
“I was just a kid not too long ago,” Rudolph said.
“And I remember what the impact was when I saw guys that played in college football and the NFL coming back to us.
“So I felt like maybe I could change someone’s life or just make someone a better person and want to be great just like me, even better.”
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