FSU player eats lunch with autistic student sitting alone By Joe Reedy, Associated Press on 09.07.16 Word Count 632

In this August 30, 2016, photo provided by Michael Halligan, Florida State University wide receiver Travis Rudolph (left) has lunch with Bo Paske (right) at Montford Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida. Photo: via AP

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Thanks to a college football player's small gesture of kindness, it could be a long time before a mother will have to worry again about her son, who has autism, eating lunch alone.

Tears streamed down the face of Leah Paske when she saw the photo of Florida State University wide receiver Travis Rudolph sharing a cafeteria table with her sixth-grader. Then she shared her gratitude on Facebook, and the story took off.

By Wednesday, Bo Paske had no shortage of lunch companions.

"Everyone was super welcoming to him. He was at a table full of girls, which I thought was funny," Leah Paske said. "The feedback has been good."

Rudolph was among several FSU players visiting Montford Middle School in Tallahassee on Tuesday when he saw Bo sitting alone in the cafeteria. He grabbed a slice of pizza and asked if he could join him.

The child said, "Sure, why not," Rudolph recalled after practice that day. "We just had a great conversation. He started off telling me his name was Bo, telling me how much he loves Florida State. We went from there," said the West Palm Beach, Florida, native, now beginning his junior season.

"It was real easy. You'd never think anything was wrong with him. He had a nice smile on his face. Just a really warm person."

Bo's mother had shared her anxieties in the Facebook post. Middle school can be tough. Would other kids be welcoming, or mean?

"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," she wrote.

"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."

The photo was taken by Mike Halligan, the middle school's resource officer and a friend of the family. Halligan said he texted it to Paske to ease her concerns about how her son was acclimating to a new school.

"I knew it was important for Leah to be comfortable and know that her son is doing OK and is not afraid," Halligan said.

Paske said their encounter has given autism awareness a huge boost.

"The picture speaks way more than a thousand words. You can see how far away the rest of the students are, but you can see how engaged Travis is with Bo. He's looking at him while he's eating," she said. "It's so telling. I can't get over how such a small moment can have a huge impact."

FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said he's proud of his player.

"You can make someone's day by being yourself and understanding the impact you have as an athlete," he said.

Rudolph said his phone hasn't stopped ringing.

"I just wanted to go say hi to the kid, because I saw him eating alone. I didn't even know anybody took a photo of it," Rudolph explained in an email. "I'm glad it can bring awareness to helping others."

Bo, too, is excited — about Rudolph signing his lunch box, as well as all the attention.

"It's been awesome. Everyone was so proud of me," he said.

Paske said they have been invited to dinner with the team and possibly a game. Florida State football spokesman Zach Stipe said logistics are being worked out.

Florida State is ranked fourth in The Associated Press Preseason Top 25, and opens the season on Monday against 11th-ranked Mississippi in Orlando.

Quiz

1 Which statement accurately represents the relationship between two of the article's central ideas?

(A) Travis Rudolph was visiting a middle school with his teammates and ate lunch with Bo Paske, a sixth-grader with autism; afterward, Rudolph's coach said he was proud of him.

(B) Bo Paske has difficulty making friends and frequently eats lunch alone because he has autism; however, a photo of a kind act by Travis Rudolph has given Bo's confidence, and autism awareness, a boost.

(C) Travis Rudolph sat down and ate lunch with a boy named Bo Paske who was all alone; after that, Bo immediately became friends with the player and his teammates who were also visiting the school.

(D) Bo Paske was excited to eat lunch with his hero Travis Rudolph instead of being alone; because of their conversation, Bo may now get to eat dinner with the team and go to a game.

2 Which sentence would be MOST appropriate to include in an accurate and objective summary of the article?

(A) Leah Paske was understandably emotional when she saw a wonderful photo of her son sitting at lunch with a college football player.

(B) The Facebook picture of Bo Paske eating lunch by himself illustrated perfectly how unfairly students with autism are treated during lunch.

(C) Leah Paske is sorry that autism shields her son from the things other students do, such as rudely staring at him on certain occasions.

(D) A school resource officer took the picture of Bo Paske eating lunch with a college football player and sent it to Bo's mother.

3 Which of the following BEST represents Travis Rudolph's approach to his lunch with Bo Paske?

(A) He knew that Bo had autism and posted their picture on Facebook to help Bo make more friends.

(B) He wanted to teach Bo all about FSU football because Bo's mother posted on Facebook that he was a big fan.

(C) He knew that Bo had autism and was hoping that sitting with him would encourage others to as well.

(D) He did not know Bo had autism and just wanted to keep him company because he was eating alone. 4 Which sentence BEST summarizes the impact of football player Travis Rudolph's gesture of kindness?

(A) It motivated other students at the school who have autism to write to their favorite players.

(B) It was key to increasing awareness about how autism can affect the behavior of a child.

(C) It had a profound effect on the way that a boy with autism was perceived by his peers.

(D) It highlighted the everyday struggles of families with children who have autism.