A photo of a group of teenage basketball players in a small Louisiana town has gone viral after a woman posted it to Facebook to thank the boys for what they did.
On Friday, Lynn Bienvenu and Johanna Stroud were attending a funeral for their cousin who had recently passed away. As the funeral procession passed Franklinton Junior High School, the two women noticed something.
The teens STOPPED their basketball game and kneeled to show their respect until the procession passed.
In her Facebook post, Lynne Bienvenu said:
"They took a knee not out of disrespect, but out of honor. There was not an adult in sight to tell them to stop playing. This meant a great deal to our family. May God bless each one as I feel they will achieve greatness."
The photo went viral and has been shared thousands of times.
Bienvenu says that after the photo went viral, some of the boys pictured in it messaged her personally to express their condolences.
Local station WAFB said the show of respect by the boys was NOT surprising to the town's residents:
"According to local citizens, coaches and teachers at nearby Franklinton Junior High have made a point to instill in the students the importance of showing respect when a funeral procession passes."
And it looks like these boys have learned that lesson well.