A Pennsylvania teenager is getting attention for an act of kindness after giving his homecoming crown and sash to a classmate with Down syndrome during a school pep rally.
Keny Cedanio Ramirez had just been named homecoming king when he noticed his classmate, Axton Kuhl, becoming emotional.
“When I got crowned, I was honestly surprised. I did not think I was gonna win. And when I got crowned, I was happy for the moment, for, like, a couple of seconds, and then I saw him, like, start to tear up and cry, so, you know, I just did what any friend would have done, and I tried to cheer him up,” Keny said.
Keny handed Axton his crown and sash, making him the Mahanoy Area Homecoming King.
Video of the moment has since gone viral on social media.
Keny said his younger brother has autism and that he would hope someone would show his brother the same kindness if he were ever in a similar situation.
As for the attention the gesture has received, Keny credited his mother with teaching him the values that guided his decision.
“I want to give thanks to my mom, because she’s the one that instilled those priorities and like taught me those lessons that led me or that I chose to become, you know, the man — how the people say it — that I am today. Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am,” Keny said.
Keny said he ultimately had an even better time at homecoming than he imagined, even without the crown and title.