A Louisiana dad surprised his visually-impaired son at school, and his reaction was there for all to see in a video that has now gone viral. Baton Rouge-based music producer Ross Armstrong captioned an Instagram video of the May 17 surprise with "Had the opportunity to see my Rossy at school today."
Armstrong continued his caption, writing "He was walking from lunch and I was waiting in his pathway! His excitement brought me happiness and I wanted to share it with y'all! He's so sweet!"
Today Parents reported that in the viral video, five-year-old Rossy was walking through a corridor while chatting with a teacher, when his dad, off-camera, said, "Hi Rossy." He came to a stop upon hearing the voice, asking "Daddy?"
Armstrong surprises son Rossy at school
Armstrong answered his son, "Yeah?" Rossy walked toward the camera, enthusiastically saying "That's daddy! Hey, daddy!" Armstrong and his wife Victoria were at the Louisiana School for The Visually Impaired that day to shoot a campaign for the non-profit organization Blind Grace. They ran into their son Rossy on his way back to the classroom.
Armstrong said that Rossy has a condition called optic nerve hypoplasia, which means his optic nerve is underdeveloped. According to the Oman Journal of Ophthalmology, the said syndrome can cause moderate to severe vision loss in children.
Armstrong said Rossy was hospitalized when he was a newborn for jaundice. They noticed his eyes were twitching during that time. According to Armstrong, Rossy had a diagnosis within the first three months of life and immediately started medication and therapy services.
Rossy driven to school in a fire truck
Armstrong explained that they don't know for sure what Rossy can see, but if you imagine putting a slice of Swiss cheese over your eyes, you would have pockets of vision. But Armstrong, who also has a 13-year-old kid named Jaden and an infant daughter named Cecelia, had more tricks up his sleeve.
Rossy was driven to school in a red engine the following week. Rossy had the fine ride thanks to his father, who is also a firefighter, and the Baton Rouge Fire Department. A video that Armstrong posted on social media platform Instagram showed his peers cheering for the arrival of Rossy with the young child being treated like a V.I.P. star. Armstrong said that he wants these videos to be a catalyst for joy.
He managed to capture Rossy's experience that day. Armstrong posted a message on Instagram, writing that Rossy is officially the coolest kid and that the opportunities he will see in his lifetime will never be limited because of his partial vision. Armstrong paid tribute to the Baton Rouge Fire Department and its Fire Chief Michael Kimble for showing up for Rossy in a big way for his last day of school.
