Football Players Hold ‘Danny Appreciation Day’ For Their Bullied Teammate And The World Is A Better Place
Brace yourself! The onion cutting ninas are coming! If you’re not somewhere you can has a good cry without undue embarrassment, then find a closet or something. A first grader from Bridgewater, Massachusetts named Danny Keefe has a history of being bullied for his speech impediment and habit of wearing a suit, tie and fedora to class each day. I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds adorable.
After hearing about the bullying, members of the Williams Intermediate School fifth-grade football team, where Danny acts as waterboy, decided to do something about it. So they held a “Danny Appreciation Day” where they dressed up in suits and ties and celebrated the boy. DAMN onion cutting ninjas again…
When Danny was a newborn, he suffered from an unfortunate brain hemorrhage that left him with apraxia of speech, which means he has trouble getting his thoughts out correctly. His condition makes it hard for people to understand him. That, coupled with his unusual style, has made him a target to bullies. Because kids can be awful.
When the Bridgewater Badgers Division five Peewees’ quarterback Tommy Cooney heard about the bullying, he wanted to show his support for the boy. He came up with the idea for an appreciation day, and the rest of the team was quickly on board. They held the day this past Wednesday, and it soon caught the attention of the local Fox new affiliate, who brought them to the studio for a segment later in the week. Cooney tearfully told Fox:
teammates, including Danny’s older brother, who immediately embraced the idea.
“We thought we would all come to school like Danny and sponsor Danny to show Danny that we love him…that we love him very much.”
According to Danny’s mom, he was touched by the support:
“I said, ”What’s the matter?” and he said he felt very loved,’ she recounted. ”˜So that’s my wish for him every night…”
Now excuse me while I go wipe my eyes…damn ninjas and their onions…
