Wisconsin’s Mosinee High School volleyball team and fans remained quiet during part of a recent match as a kindness toward a young man in the stands.
The gym’s atmosphere stayed quiet until the 10th point when everyone was allowed to cheer, WSAW reported Thursday.
Mosinee High School Volleyball's gym is normally as loud as can be…except tonight.The fans remained silent so player Melina Carattini's brother could watch his sister for the first time. Payton has autism and is sensitive to noise.Listen to the reaction…and see the moment they got loud.
Posted by Noah Manderfeld WSAW on Thursday, October 13, 2022
The quiet moments were reserved so that Mosinee player Melina Carattini’s brother could watch her during the game and enjoy himself without distraction.
Payton has autism which makes him sensitive to noises. Autism is defined as a spectrum disorder and “each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges,” according to the Autism Speaks website.
“The ways in which people with autism learn, think and problem-solve can range from highly skilled to severely challenged. Some people with ASD may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may need less support and, in some cases, live entirely independently,” the site read.
In a social media post, Mosinee High School said it was the first time Payton was able to attend one of their games.
Video footage showed the crowd sitting quietly as the match progressed. But when a player scored, the crowd got to their feet and cheered:
Mosinee gets their 10th Point that allows the crowd to erupt after watching in silence in support of the Carattini family. Tonight was the first time Malina's brother, Payton, who lives with Autism, was able to attend a game. The typical noise has prevented him from being able to be in attendance. Thank you Marathon for your participation!
Posted by Mosinee High School on Thursday, October 13, 2022
“This is amazing! Proud to be from Mosinee tonight!!” one commenter wrote, while another said, “Nice job Coach for coming up with the idea! That was pretty special.”
Payton exited the gym after the eighth point and Melina got lots of hugs from her teammates during the exciting match.
“Special, very special. You know you tell him, when you get back home, you tell him how the game went. She played good, things like that. Many times, if it’s far away, we’re able to watch some of the games. But to have him there is very exciting and emotional,” their father said of the event.
Mosinee ended up winning the match against Marathon.
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