Bob Cornelius's son Christoper, who has autism, has problems connecting with others.
Cornelius knew this about his child but what he didn't know was just how deeply it was affecting him until he spotted a heartbreaking clue in the boy's homework.
During a visit to his son's school, he spotted the worksheet displayed on the classroom wall.
The assignment was asking students to answer a series of questions describing themselves.
One question asked Christopher to finish this statement:
‘Some of my friends are...'
To which Christopher responded: 'No one.'
The shocked father posted a pic of the homework to
Facebook, writing:
"Never have five letters cut so deep, and they weren’t even directed at me….it was just an overly simplistic statement that spoke volumes."
"It’s clear to me that he desperately wants to be part of the group, but his challenges make it difficult for his peers to include him."
He implored parents to explain to their children that "children with special needs understand far more than we give them credit for. They notice when others exclude them."
Since then the post has been shared nearly 40,000 times, and 11-year-old Christopher has been sent many supportive packages and letters.
Here is Christopher enjoying an outpouring of support from new friends around the world.
