FSU Football Player Joins Boy With Autism Eating Lunch Alone

— -- A Florida State University football player who spotted a middle school student eating alone in a lunchroom and chose to sit at his table received a very public and heartfelt thank you from the boy’s mother.

FSU wide receiver Travis Rudolph was visiting Montford Middle School in Tallahassee, Florida, Tuesday when he saw the student, Bo Paske, eating alone and joined him at his table.

Bo’s mom, Leah Paske, wrote on Facebook that she was sent a photo of Rudolph eating with her son with the caption, “Travis Rudolph is eating lunch with your son.”

Paske wrote that the photo brought her to tears. She explained her son has autism and when she asks him every day who he ate lunch with, the answer is often “nobody.”

“I had tears streaming down my face,” Paske wrote on Facebook of the photo. “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,” she wrote. “Travis Rudolph thank you so much, you made this momma exceedingly happy, and have made us fans for life!”

Paske’s Facebook post has been shared nearly 8,000 times since she posted it Tuesday.