Scotty Maloney is this year's homecoming king at Unionville Community High School in Unionville, Tenn. Maloney didn't win a vote of his peers, nor was he nominated. Instead, Maloney was awarded the crown by the school's three finalists for homecoming king — they wanted to honor Maloney, who suffers from Williams Syndrome, which is a neurological disorder that limits his ability to learn and speak.
It is a rare heartwarming story during yet another time in American history where it feels like the only news to come out of schools involve guns. Unionville student Jesse Cooper, who actually won the popular vote, explained the group's decision to WKRN-ABC in in Nashville.
"I've been blessed with so many things," said Jesse Cooper, who won the popular vote for king. "I just wanted Scotty to experience something great in his high school days."
According to various reports, Maloney received a 30-second standing ovation at a rally in the school's gym last week.
"When they called [Scotty's] name, his eyes got really big and I don't know that he registered exactly what was happening. He knew something was," Maloney's teacher Liz Hestle Gassaway told ABCNews.com. "It was very, very emotional."
Maloney has worn the medal given to the homecoming king to class everyday and will get to crown the winner next year. So, yes, nice things still do happen.
[story, image via WKRN]