Typically, a sports fan’s allegiance never wavers.But at the middle school in Boone, Iowa, a group of teenage boys gave one Green Bay Packers fan a good reason to hop on the Minnesota Vikings bandwagon.Fourteen-year-old James Baldwin is happy to wear whatever jersey he can find. In fact, the eighth-grader diagnosed with ADHD, DMDD, autism and an intellectual delay owns an entire collection, anything from a green Brett Favre jersey to Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison.But his favorite is actually the newest: a Justin Jefferson Minnesota Vikings jersey.On Dec. 6, a group of James’ friends in his eighth-grade class chipped in their own money to surprise him on his birthday at school and he’s worn it every day since.”We’ve made a compromise, that as long as we have a clean shirt underneath, he can continue to wear the jersey,” James’ mother, Rachel Baldwin, a Packers fan said.She’s more than willing to set the NFC North rivalry aside to see her son smile.A sense of relief knowing she can send her son to school knowing he will always have a group of friends who have his back.”They’re setting a really wonderful example for other kids to make friends with that kid who is different who maybe they don’t understand and you can really impact somebody’s life in even a small way,” Rachel Baldwin said.
BOONE, Iowa —
Typically, a sports fan’s allegiance never wavers.
But at the middle school in Boone, Iowa, a group of teenage boys gave one Green Bay Packers fan a good reason to hop on the Minnesota Vikings bandwagon.
Fourteen-year-old James Baldwin is happy to wear whatever jersey he can find. In fact, the eighth-grader diagnosed with ADHD, DMDD, autism and an intellectual delay owns an entire collection, anything from a green Brett Favre jersey to Indianapolis Colts legend Marvin Harrison.
But his favorite is actually the newest: a Justin Jefferson Minnesota Vikings jersey.
On Dec. 6, a group of James’ friends in his eighth-grade class chipped in their own money to surprise him on his birthday at school and he’s worn it every day since.
“We’ve made a compromise, that as long as we have a clean shirt underneath, he can continue to wear the jersey,” James’ mother, Rachel Baldwin, a Packers fan said.
She’s more than willing to set the NFC North rivalry aside to see her son smile.
A sense of relief knowing she can send her son to school knowing he will always have a group of friends who have his back.
“They’re setting a really wonderful example for other kids to make friends with that kid who is different who maybe they don’t understand and you can really impact somebody’s life in even a small way,” Rachel Baldwin said.
