Updated: A previous version of this page included a video, which has since been removed.
On Monday night, the Kenosha, Wis., city council honored three Lincoln Middle School basketball players who attracted national attention for their defense of a bullied cheerleader.
During a game, the three players—Chase Vazquez, Scooter Terrien, and Miles Rodriguez—heard negative comments coming from the stands about Desiree Andrews, a cheerleader who has Down syndrome. During a timeout, the three players walked off the court and asked the offenders to stop, according to TMJ in Milwaukee.
“A couple of us went over there and were like, ‘Can you guys just stop? That’s not right,’” Rodriguez told TMJ.
Since the incident, Andrews has become an integral part of the basketball team, according to the Kenosha News. She’s always included during the introduction of the boys’ basketball lineup, and the school renamed its gym “D’s House” in her honor.
“It’s not fair when other people get treated wrong because we’re all the same,” said Terrien to TMJ. “We’re all created the same. God made us the same way.”
Desiree’s father, Cliff Andrews, told the Kenosha News that her interest in cheerleading originated with a popular television show.
“She always enjoyed the show “Glee.” They have a character with Down syndrome who is a cheerleader. And she said, ‘If she can be a cheerleader, I can be a cheerleader.’”
During Monday’s city council meeting, in which the three boys received a citizenship award, Lauren Potter, the actress who plays said cheerleader in “Glee,” showered the boys with praise in a video, calling them her “true heroes.”
TMZ.com posted the video online Tuesday:
According to TMJ, Vazquez, Terrien, and Rodriguez are also being considered for the mayor’s youth award. Given the national attention they’ve attracted due to this story, they should be a shoo-in for the honor.
