Bullies Mock Cheerleader with Down Syndrome – Basketball Players Stand Up for Her during Timeout

In an interesting turn of events, three Wisconsin basketball players defended a cheerleader with Down syndrome when they saw bullies mocking her. They made sure no one messed with her again.

Have you ever wondered why children bully others? Some people might think a child becomes a bully because his parents failed to teach him the difference between right and wrong. Others may feel school management needs to inculcate good habits in their students.

If we look at the bigger picture, a child may bully others because of the traumatizing experiences he might have gone through. The girl in today's story experienced first-hand bullying, but luckily, some kind-hearted boys came to defend her.

THE INNOCENT GIRL

The girl in question is 15-year-old Desiree Andrews, who loves singing and dancing. Despite not getting most song lyrics right because of Down syndrome, she still manages to lip-sync and shake her body to the beat.

When Desiree is not showing her moves, she cheerleads during the Lincoln Middle School basketball matches. She got inspired by watching the show "Glee" and decided to become a cheerleader. Her father, Cliff Andrews, said:

"[The show has] a character with Down syndrome who is a cheerleader. And she said, 'If she can be a cheerleader, I can be a cheerleader.'"

THE BASKETBALL MATCH

One day in 2015, Desiree was excited to go to school because she had been waiting for so long to cheerlead for her school's basketball team. Dressed up in her cheerleading uniform, she entered Lincoln Middle School's gym, waiting for the match to start.

Vasquez, Terrien, and Rodriguez walked towards Desiree, who was standing at the other end of the gym, while all the other children looked at them in awe.

Three basketball players, Chase Vasquez, Scooter Terrien, and Miles Rodriguez, noticed something strange happening in the gymnasium, so they decided to take immediate action.

WITNESSING SOMETHING STRANGE

During their time-out, the three players saw a group of children mocking Desiree, who couldn't understand what was happening. She didn't know how to respond to her bullies, but luckily, the basketball players came to her rescue. In an interview, Rodriguez said:

"Desiree is probably the happiest person I know. She is always smiling every time I see her."

Before approaching the bullies, the three friends observed the situation to ensure they understood things correctly. Once they were sure the other children were mocking Desiree, they immediately stepped in and had a word with the bullies.

TAKING ACTION

Vasquez, Terrien, and Rodriguez walked towards Desiree, standing at the other end of the gym, while all the other children looked at them in awe. They were surprised to see the three players showing concern for Desiree. Her father, Cliff, recalled:

"It happened so quickly. It was like they didn't hesitate. It was just like immediate."

When the three players approached the bullies, they told them that it was not right to mock Desiree. Without saying a word, the children immediately stopped making fun of her.

ACT OF KINDNESS

If the players wanted, they could have ignored Desiree, but they chose to stand up for her. Their act of kindness inspired other people around them to do the same. Dave Paff, Kenosha City Alderman, said:

"Oh, I think they are heroes. I really do!"

Meanwhile, Vasquez's father felt proud of his son. He said he must have taught him something right that made his young boy stand up for the right thing. Rodriguez's father hoped other children would get inspired and protect others from getting mocked.

A GIFT TO CHERISH

Vasquez, Terrien, and Rodriguez signed a pink-colored basketball and gifted it to Desiree to make her feel better. They hoped she would remember them every time she looked at the ball.

After returning home, Desiree kept the basketball in her room, where she had pasted posters of her favorite movies and singers. She loved listening to Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, while her favorite movie was Twilight. Her father said:

"She talks about them constantly. They signed a basketball for her, and that's her prized possession."

SAY NO TO BULLYING

By standing up for Desiree, the basketball players hoped other kids would also come to rescue people who were being bullied. They said if it were someone other than Desiree, they would still have taken a stand for the child. The boys were strictly against bullying.

Desiree's father appreciated the boys and said he felt proud of them. Cliff said Desiree would never forget what happened that day and who came to save her. He added:

"None of us in my family will forget it. We will remember it forever."

DESIREE'S DREAM CAME TRUE

The heartwarming story of the basketball players standing up for Desiree made it to the news. It went viral in no time and many people, including celebrities, discovered what happened at Lincoln Middle School that day.

After Desiree's story became the talk of the town, it was time for one of her biggest wishes to come true. She met the woman who had inspired her to become a cheerleader.

The Hollywood actress Lauren Potter, who played Becky Jackson on Glee, hugged Desiree upon seeing her for the first time. The actress said Desiree was like her.

THE HEARTWARMING UNION

Never in a million years had Desiree imagined meeting the person she considered her role model. When she looked at Potter for the first time, she turned to her parents and said, "This is Becky!" After they exchanged hugs, Potter said:

"She [Desiree] is my number one fan. And I love her so much!"

Getting bullied at school led Desiree to meet the woman she admired the most. She couldn't believe her favorite, "Becky," was standing right next to her.

What do you think about this story? Do you think the athletes did the right thing by taking a stand for Desiree? Would you do the same if you were in their shoes?

Click here to read another story about a boy who said his teachers taped his mouth and threw away his lunch during lunchtime. He said they didn't want him to eat.