A group of Proserpine State High School Students didn’t think twice about letting Lochie Tucker join in on their pick-up basketball game at the Cannonvale courts.
Little did they know that it would mean the world to both Lochie and his mother Renee Tucker, who said, after her son came home that night, she had to wait until he’d fallen asleep to “just bawl with tears”.
“Lochie has Asperger’s – he just doesn’t fit in at mainstream schooling – his social cues are not there, which I love; he dresses how he wants, but he sees the boys down here and he always wants to join in,” Ms Tucker said.
“We’ve been down here to the courts so many times and these were the first bunch of boys that have ever let him join in with them.
“He was rapt when he came home; he was just so happy and he’s smiling all the time when he’s with them. Usually they’re forced but he’s just smiling for real.”
The Proserpine State High School Grade 9 students, Elijah, Will, Niall, Jason, Kody, and Chaz, said it was just a normal thing for them to include everyone.
“It’s good for him to see a group of good young men,” Ms Tucker said.
Sarah Post, a mother of one of the boys said they “didn’t think anything of it, that’s just how they are.”
Lochie said it felt very including to play with the boys.
“It was just really nice,” he said.
“I think we’ll come down and make it a regular thing!”
The boys at the court, Elijah, Will, Lochie,Niall, Jason, and Kody
