A New Jersey mom took to Facebook last week to share her heartwarming story thanking a group of teens who went out of their way to teach her autistic son how to ride a skateboard at a local park.
"You would never know by looking at him," Kristen Braconi shared on Facebook last week, but her 5-year-old Carter "has high functioning autism and ADHD."
On March 26th Braconi took her son Carter out on his birthday to ride his scooter at the skate park behind the police station in South Brunswick, NJ. when a group of locals teens showed up.
Carter was "really nervous" riding around the older kids and wanted to go home when the group went out of their way to include Carter and show him how to ride a skateboard.
"They were absolutely amazing with him and included him and were so beyond kind it brought me to tears," Braconi wrote. "One of the kids gave him a mini skateboard and taught him how to use it. I can't even begin to thank these kids for being so kind and showing him how wonderful people can be to complete strangers."
As the teens sang Happy Birthday to Carter and showed him how to ride his new board, Braconi captured video of the the heartwarming encounter which she later shared on her community's Facebook page.
Kind kids in South Brunswickwww.youtube.com
In an interview with South Brunswick news outlet Patch, Braconi says Carter was so happy that days later he is still watching the video.
"They made him feel so special," said Braconi. "After they included him, his whole demeanor changed. He seems more confident now and I think more comfortable to be at the park. Hopefully he will feel like he can be more social."
Braconi and Carter eventually left the park but returned shortly with ice cream as a way of thanking the teens.
Braconi ended her post saying "Thank you to whoever these children are and thank you to their parents because you are doing a wonderful job!!!"
The post has since gone viral and users across social media were touched by the heartwarming story.
And others joined Braconi in praising the teens for the kindness shown in going out of their way to include Carter.
Now the the South Brunswick Police Department is hoping to find the group of teens in order to throw them a pizza party.
It just goes to show that a little kindness can go a very long way.
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