Travis Rudolph meets mother of middle school student in viral photo
By Jason Parker
After a photo was taken of FSU wide receiver Travis Rudolph eating lunch with an autistic student sitting alone, that child’s mother met with the star.
Travis Rudolph ate lunch with an autistic boy earlier this week and the photo went viral. The star receiver for the Florida State Seminoles made a simple gesture but it had a lasting impact.
That child, Bo Paske, is a sixth grader and his mother wrote an emotional message on Facebook thanking Rudolph for spending time with her son. It struck a cord with those who have autistic children and those who just want everyone to be treated the same.
Shortly after the message went global, Rudolph reunited with Bo and his mother, Leah, during a television interview. Cameras for the Showtime series “A Season With,” recorded the emotional encounter between the mother and player:
You don’t have to be a fan of the Seminoles to root for Rudolph after seeing what type of person he is. You can be willing to bet that the Paske family is going to be his biggest fans the entire season. They’ll be cheering him on Monday when Florida State takes on Ole Miss in the season opener.
When the Seminoles take the field inside Camping World Stadium come Labor Day against the Rebels, Rudolph will assume the role as one of the offensive stars for FSU. He comes into the game as the team’s leading receiver and a top target for redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois.
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Rudolph’s presence will also help to take pressure off the team’s Heisman Trophy candidate, running back Dalvin Cook. Against a Rebels defense primed for the upset, you can expect a healthy dose of Rudolph when the ‘Noles are on the field.
Every single time he touches the ball, you can also expect Bo and his mother to be cheering him on as his No. 1 fans.