KENOSHA, Wis. (MyFoxBoston.com) — It started with bullying. It turned into something inspirational.
When Wisconsin cheerleader Desiree Andrews, who has Down syndrome, was bullied at a basketball game last year, a few members of the Lincoln Middle School team stepped in, walking off the court into the stands to confront the bullies, the Kenosha News reports.
The move had a profound effect on the team, its coaches — and Desiree, according to the Kenosha News.
Now, Desiree isn't just a cheerleader, she's the team's inspiration.
So much so that the team renamed the school gym after her. It's now called "D's House."
And, Desiree is the star of the team's lineup introduction. Before each game, every team member gets a fist bump from the excited teen, the Kenosha News reports.
At a recent end-of-season celebration at “D's House,” the team brought the cheerleaders in for a huddle, chanting, "Who's house? D's House!"
“It's been a godsend to us,” Desiree's father, Cliff, told the Kenosha News. “Those boys, I tried to talk to them in person, but I couldn't keep the tears back.”
