ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida State University wide receiver Travis Rudolph reunited with Bo Paske on Monday before the fourth-ranked Seminoles face No. 11 Mississippi.
Rudolph surprised Paske and his mother, Leah, by giving Bo a personalized Florida State jersey during an interview on ESPN at the team’s hotel.
“It feels so wonderful! I’m so excited,” Paske said of the custom jersey.
READ MORE: Florida State University’s Travis Rudolph sits with autistic student eating lunch alone
Rudolph befriended Paske, a sixth-grader with autism, during a visit last Tuesday to Tallahassee’s Montford Middle School when he ate lunch with Paske, who was sitting alone. A photo was taken by a school resource officer and was widely circulated on social media as was Leah Paske’s Facebook post thanking Rudolph.
“Everybody recognizes me and I have to say to them, ‘Thank you for believing in me,’” he told CBS News.
The Paskes attended the game after receiving tickets from Florida State. They have also been invited to have dinner with the team this week but FSU football spokesman Zach Stipe said the logistics are still being worked out.
“This week has been an absolute blast and I can’t believe I get to meet the whole team!”
– with files from Jenny Sung