A group of elementary school students from Bridgewater, Mass., made a heartwarming gesture when they learned one of their schoolmates was being bullied, reports Boston TV station WCVB.
Williams Intermediate School first-grader Danny Keefe suffered a brain hemorrhage after he was born, which resulted in speech issues the 6-year-old continually works to overcome with speech therapy. Keefe -- who chooses to wear a suit and tie to school every day -- has been welcomed by many of his fellow students and is even the "water coach" for the school's fifth-grade football team. But not all of his classmates have been so friendly.
Recently, young Keefe became a target for school bullies because of the way he speaks, and his teammates responded in an unforgettable way. The boys declared last Wednesday "Danny Appreciation Day" with more than 40 students wearing suits and ties to school to show support of their friend.
"We heard that Danny was getting picked on," fifth-grader and football team member Tommy Cooney told WCVB. "So we thought that we would all have a day to dress up like Danny ... to show Danny that we love him."
The boys' gesture is strong proof that the battle against bullying is moving in a positive direction and the message of embracing difference is being heard loud and clear by a new generation.
Watch WCVB's full segment on this amazing show of support in the video below.