Lane and Cristiano are good friends who enjoy riding their bikes around town but their actions when they saw a funeral procession has attracted national attention.
The 9-year-old boys from Batesville, Indiana, were busy having fun racing on their bikes around the streets near their homes in September 2021, when they were stopped in their tracks.
“We were just out riding our bikes, and I looked over and I saw soldiers. So, we stopped and stayed there until it was finished,” said 9-year-old Lane Moody.
“There was a bunch of people and shot their guns in the air,” added 9-year-old Cristiano Barajas.
The funeral was for a veteran named Charles Everette Yorn, a man they’d never met before.
The 89-year-old man used to serve in the US Army. After his service ended, Yorn went to work for an American medical technology company. He worked there for 32 years.
He was a respected member of the community – a father of six, grandfather of 16, great grandfather of 36 and great-great-grandfather of 5.
A stranger noticed the boys’ actions and decided to take a photo of them.
Two Batesville boys hop off their bikes to pay their respects after coming across an Army veteran's funeral & burial services. You'll hear from these boys tonight on @Local12 (photo cred: Jacqi Hornbach) pic.twitter.com/b7EuLHOMFX
— Brad Underwood (@BUnderwoodWKRC) September 8, 2021
Jacqi Hornbach took the photo and posted it on Facebook to highlight their good deed.
She said: “To see these two young boys immediately stop and pay their respects to a passed serviceman, without any prompting or knowledge of anyone watching, was just so touching to see.
“I debated whether or not to post this, but with all the negative things going on, I thought this was needed. I was dog sitting for a friend last week and was enjoying the nice weather outside when a funeral procession came into the cemetery across the street. These two young men were riding their bikes and saw the flag of the deceased military man.”
She continued: “They immediately stopped riding, got off their bikes, and stood with respect as TAPS was being played. I had to snap a pic as I was so proud of these two young men. Their parents should be so proud, and I’m sure the serviceman was in heaven smiling down on them.”
The post went viral, and the kids’ actions that day touched hearts across the internet.
Lane’s father, Sean Moody, eventually saw it.
“It means a lot to me. I started tearing up when I saw it and knew it was him. I’m real big on military; my dad was in the military and grandparents too,” he told Local 12 News.
He even left a comment on Facebook praising his son for listening to his teachings on respect.
Proud dad Sean joked: “I always wonder if anything I say sinks in, obviously more than I thought!”
These boys could teach a few adults a thing or two about respect. Help get them all the praise they deserve by sharing this story.
