Video of Boy With Down Syndrome Comforting His Autistic Friend Goes Viral

(TMU) — In a viral video that now has over 20 million views as of this writing, a school teacher in Mexico captured a sweet moment described on social media as “pure empathy,” when a young student with Down syndrome comforted his distressed classmate who happens to have autism.

In the video below, you can see one of the two boys appears visibly distressed while the other attempts to comfort his friend by hugging him, patting him on the back, and moving his arms around in a therapeutic pattern both of the boys are likely familiar with.

The video was posted on the Facebook page Jalisco oculto, a page dedicated to sharing location stories and information from in and around Jalisco, Mexico that describes itself as being for people tired of bad governments.

As interest in the video took off, it was shared to additional social media platforms, including Twitter.

In addition to the 20 million views on Facebook, the tweet below amassed a whopping 5.9 million views as well.

Twitter user StanceGrounded, who shared the viral video on Twitter, explained in a follow-up tweet:

“This child remind us that Love is instinct and Love is innate and that Hate is taught. The lack of love and empathy is the root to our problems. We need Love & Empathy in this world.”

Social media users were quick to share their own stories of friends and relatives that have been diagnosed with Downs syndrome or are on the autism spectrum.

One Facebook user said “this boy is a clear example of loyalty, tenderness and empathy for others, all my admiration and respect!!” Others commented on how the video touched their hearts and gave them hope.

While there are no reliable estimates of the number of people diagnosed with Down syndrome in Mexico, it is estimated that there are about 6,000 babies born with the genetic disorder in the United States.

According to studies, the prevalence of Down syndrome at birth increased by 31.1% from 1979 through 2003.

Around 1 in 59 children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

By Emma Fiala | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com