GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) — A student with special needs was treated like royalty on Friday — quite literally.
Jack Buzako is a senior at Station Camp High School who has autism and a hearing impairment. Ahead of the school’s “Coming Home” winter dance, Jack was nominated by his peers to be the dance’s king.
On Friday morning, Jack was recognized in front of the entire school during a pep rally.
“We need that in this world. We need the positivity, we need the hope, we need the kindness. And I’m glad that Jack gets to be a part of that,” said Jack’s mom, Stacy, who sat in for the rally.
At the start of the week, Jack asked McKenna Williams, Station Camp’s most recent Homecoming Queen, to be his escort to the dance. The proposal was captured on video and posted to Sumner County school’s Facebook page.
“It brought me to tears when I saw the video of him asking her and how sweet [McKenna] is. High school can be brutal, and people in general can be brutal, especially to someone who’s different,” said Stacy.
Jack and McKenna have been pals since freshman year, when Jack made sure to introduce himself during PE class.
“He actually just sat down and started talking to me like I knew him his whole life,” said Williams with a laugh.
Despite their friendship, McKenna was still surprised at Jack’s proposal. Why?
Because Jack’s a popular dude.
“I know I’m not the only one that would have liked to go with Jack. There’s so many people in this school that would have loved to go with him,” Williams told News 2.
Both Williams’ and Jack’s Mom praised Station Camp for being a school that accepts and empowers their students.
And Jack, he represents the good in all of them.
“He’s just what the world should be like. He’s the type of person that everybody should strive to be like,” said Williams.
“The kids are just phenomenal with [Jack]. And it makes me so happy to see that’s how they are. Jack’s not the only person that they’re going to meet that has special needs. Inside, he’s just like you all are; he wants to be a friend, he wants to be included.”
While he surely is a shoo-in, Jack will find out on Friday night whether he is indeed the “Coming Home Dance King.”
Either way, it’s safe to say Jack will be the life of the party. As his mom told News 2: “he doesn’t know a stranger.”
