HAMBLEN COUNTY, Tenn. (WTHR) - A school resource officer in Tennessee was in the right place to comfort a student with autism on the first day of school.
The Hamblen County Department of Education shared a photo of Officer Julio Ortiz hugging Kadin Templin at West View Middle School Monday. Tempin's mother said he has had two dozen surgeries in his lifetime and transitioning to a new school has been difficult.
"This makes me so happy to see an officer taking time to be there to a child with special needs," his mother, Christina Swartz, said.
Swartz shared the photo so more positive posts would be shared to help inspire her son.
"My son just has had so much negativity," she told WBIR-TV, "to see something positive for him was incredible!"
She reached out to Ortiz to say thanks for being there for her son. The officer said he was "so excited and honored to be called his friend."
Templin has a 25th surgery scheduled for later this month.
