I Have One Complaint About These Kids That Let Their Friend With Down's Syndrome Win A Race

Metro-  Knowing it was their last school sports day together, a group of school boys decided to make it one their classmate Rory Kettles would remember.

Lining up on their final race, the group linked arms, ensuring their 11-year-old friend, who has Down’s Syndrome, would win while they all came joint second.

The gesture brought parents at the event at Wrawby St Mary’s C of E Primary School in Lincolnshire to tears, in what was already an emotional occasion for all involved.

‘Being their last sports day they decided they wanted their friend Rory to remember his last running race by coming first,’ she said. ‘They all slowed down, put their arms round each other and ran together to make sure they came joint second.’

‘Rory’s mum couldn’t believe it, but the boys acted like it wasn’t a big deal.’

She said: ‘As you can imagine I’m incredibly proud of all the children – it was something the children came up with themselves.



Don't get me wrong, I love the gesture. I think it's pretty damn awesome that a bunch of camp-goers were able to think this up on their own without the urging of counselors or parents. That said, couldn't they have kept this race a little closer? There's nothing worse than feeling like a charity case. I know he's a little slow, but if that kid's brain works as well as his legs do then he might put the pieces together when he looks back and he sees every other participant holding hands 6 feet from the starting line. I admittedly don't know the mental aptitude of those with Down's Syndrome, but imagine finishing what was supposed to be a competitive event and turning around to see this shit...

​I'm assuming that Rory has been involved with every race all school year so he can probably recognize that they generally don't look like the photo above. What did these kids not trust each other to suppress their competitive juices throughout the entirety of a 40 yard dash? Were they so concerned about getting a spot at the podium that they decided to collectively finish tied for second?  It's not exactly difficult to throw a race. In fact, it's pretty damn easy to look like you're trying without joining hands like you're engaging in group prayer. If you want to make the kid feel like he accomplished something then at least let him be able to feel an opponent in the rearview, because if he's "there" enough to understand that his friends let him win then it's actually more insulting than it is compassionate. ​Here's a lesson your teachers apparently skipped over: A little bit of subtlety goes a long way.
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Idea: A+
​Execution: C-