Teacher bribed fourth-grader to befriend bullied classmate with special needs — but their bond became real before tragedy left her guilty forever
Good friends are not chosen based on appearances or background, but rather by the love they have to share. A Reddit user who goes by u/itssusanity shared the story of her classmate from fourth grade, who was singled out due to his developmental issues. When her teacher bribed her to befriend him, she took up the task only for the reward. As she spent time with him, she realized he was a great pal and was no longer with him only for the prize. Unfortunately, months into their companionship, tragedy struck, and it left the woman feeling guilty forever. On May 14, 2026, she shared how the bond stood out and became one to remember.
I only hung out with the Down Syndrome kid because I got paid in fake school money
by u/itssusanity in confession
Since the boy suffered from developmental issues, he was often ignored and mocked by other classmates. To change this, the teacher decided to bribe the then-little girl with "School Bucks" if she chose to befriend the kid. "School Bucks were a hot commodity. They were given out for good behavior or good grades, and could be exchanged at the school store for little goodies," she shared. Since she wanted to buy a keychain, she agreed to hang out with him. However, their friendship grew stronger, and she began to enjoy his company. After a week of rewards, the student was no longer interested in it and started hanging out with the classmate on her own. However, their bond was short-lived, as he later passed away due to a tragic house fire.
The woman recalled how they shared a common love for dinosaurs and rocks, and had fun discussing and drawing them during recess. "I joined him once in some special ed activity where we drew designs for shirts. I drew a T. rex, and he drew a volcano. We traded them," she recounted. Though she got her keychain eventually, it meant nothing anymore, as she had lost someone dear. Expressing their regret, she said, "I miss him still, over 2 decades later," adding that the shirt with his drawing is still close to her heart.
According to a research study published in PMC, kids with special needs often develop stronger bonds with friends and caregivers. It was noted that in this type of friendship, both parties are "responsive to one another, have stronger receptive language skills, and exhibited greater positive social orientation and cohesion." And it was evident from this duo's bond. Even though verbal communication was not easy, they found ways to connect through art, gestures, and so much more.
The person's post won praise from online users. @BigBirdsBrain wrote, "Started for the wrong reason, stayed for the right one. Sounds like you gave that kid some real friendship." @Nostromo2021 shared, "Regardless of the motives, what you did was exceptionally kind, and you have a good heart and soul thinking about your friend 2 decades after losing him." @No_hope_left72 revealed, "As a nana to a very severe nonverbal special-needs young man, I'd like to say thank you."
For more such stories, follow u/itssusanity on Reddit.