Finally tonight, a lesson in the ripple effect of compassion, how an act of kindness can start a wave. Here’s Steve Hartman on the road.
STEVE HARTMAN: Seven-year-old Ben O’Reilly is deaf and has other special needs, which is why his adoptive moms, Etta and Marlaina, were in shock when they found out how he was being treated at school.
“This feels unbelievable.”
“It is.”
“It’s incredible. I could barely breathe. Like, it just was so overwhelming.”
STEVE HARTMAN: Ben is a first-grader at Campton Elementary in Campton, New Hampshire.
CHERYL ULICNY: “What is this?”
STEVE HARTMAN: His aide, Cheryl Ulicny — “It’s a bus.”
STEVE HARTMAN: —says because Ben is deaf, he felt isolated here. “Sad.” He didn’t have relationships with his peers or teachers, for that matter. He was very alone, and he acted very alone.
“New Hampshire is one of the few states in the nation that doesn’t have a dedicated school for the deaf. In fact, Ben is the only deaf kid in his whole district. So aside from his aide, there was virtually no one in this whole school community he could talk to, at least at first.”
“If he’s your friend, you can play with him, and he’s my friend.”
STEVE HARTMAN: It all began when Reid Spring and a few other classmates started picking up on a few signs.
TEACHER: “Time to clean up.”
STEVE HARTMAN: —like “clean up.” Then the rest of the class decided to learn.
“I see a blue horse.”
STEVE HARTMAN: Eventually, other teachers in other grades began taking sign-language classes — “Responsible” — and speaking in sign — “—and safe.” — even when Ben wasn’t around. Today, just about every student and staff member knows at least some sign language.
Ben’s parents say this has had a profound impact on their son.
“Now they can ask each other, hey, you want to play?”
“Right. It clicked for him that the sign language had value.”
“You could just watch his world open up with communication. It was amazing.”
“Yeah, it’s fun communicating with Ben and playing with him.”
STEVE HARTMAN: So if you ever find yourself wondering whether this is still a country of compassion, take these kids as a sign. Steve Hartman on the road in Campton, New Hampshire.