Perhaps they may never know they had just become social media darlings. But the way two determined boys treated their classmate with cerebral palsy has captured the hearts of millions.
A heartwarming video was captured by a teacher who was on call in the special needs classroom during recess. The clip, taken in Pampanga province, Philippines, has since gone viral, clocking more than 1.6 million views on Facebook.
In the 45-second video, seven-year-old Yuan is seen giving snacks to eight-year-old Hans Peter Erlasan, who is sitting on a wheelchair.
Yuan later coaxes his classmate Karl, who is five, to continue feeding Hans while he changes the direction of an electric fan to favour Hans. The three pupils belong to a 12-member non-graded special education class for determined ones.
Christine Quiambao-Lopez, Special Education Teacher at Mauaque Resettlement Elementary School in Malabacat, Pampanga, said the incident took place on June 25 during one of their breaks.
“I usually assist Hans during recess. But they saw that I was preoccupied at the time tending to another student with special needs who was having a fit,” Lopez told Gulf News in a phone interview from Pampanga.
From hyperactive to caregiver
“So when I was done, I was surprised to see the two, Karl and Yuan, taking care of Hans. They are usually the most hyperactive in class. But this time, it was different,” she added.
Lopez said she only took a short video to be able to take over the feeding of Hans quickly.
“It was a heartwarming sight. But I had to run to them right away to make sure that Hans wouldn’t choke on his food,” Lopez said.
“In class, you can see just how big the hearts of these two boys are. Every time Hans would be dropped by his mum, they would all come to meet him and help him enter the classroom.”
There are 12 students in the non-graded special education class, Lopez said. Yuan and Karl’s conditions have yet to be diagnosed, said the teacher.
Their selfless act earned the praise of social media users, with many saying the future would certainly be bright if everyone could follow the lead of the young men with the big hearts.
