Pennsylvania Teen Gives Up His Homecoming King Crown for a Classmate With Down Syndrome, and the Video Goes Viral
A Pennsylvania teenager's gesture at his school's homecoming celebration has gone viral on social media. Keny Cedanio Ramirez had just been named homecoming king at Mahanoy Area High School when he noticed that his classmate Axton Kuhl, who has Down syndrome, had become emotional and was tearing up. Instead of keeping the crown, Ramirez immediately gave it to Kuhl so that Kuhl could have the honor of being the Mahanoy Area Homecoming King, Parade reported on October 20, citing 6ABC.
'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,' Ramirez told 6ABC.
Ramirez said he has a brother with autism, and that he would hope someone would show the same kindness to his brother in a similar situation. He credited his mother with instilling the priorities and lessons behind his choice: 'Without her, I wouldn't be who I am.'
The video of the moment spread quickly online, drawing a stream of praise. 'Now that is a man who has empathy for others and will do well in life. What a sweet gesture he did for this young man who has Down syndrome. That young man will always remember what was done for him,' one commenter wrote. Another wrote: 'That young man was raised right! Kudos to him and his parents!'
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 宾夕法尼亚州 Mahanoy City 资料图，当地高中 Mahanoy Area High School 位于该镇。照片：Doug Kerr 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经维基共享资源。 / File photo of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, home of Mahanoy Area High School. Photo by Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
