NEW ORLEANS — ST. CHARLES PARISH, La. - An act of kindness between a Hahnville High School teacher and a student has gone viral. John Butler said he never expected it would garner so much attention, but said he'd do it all over again if needed.
A photo, showing John Butler and Daverius Peters at the school's graduation tells a story. One that's tugged at peoples' shoestrings all over.
"This is the biggest moment of your life up to this point and nobody is going to take that away from you," said Butler.
Butler is an In-School Suspension teacher at Hahnville High. He's also well-liked by students there, like senior, Daverius Peters.
"He was always there for everybody so I know if I have a problem I can talk to him," Peters said.
Well, at graduation, Peters had a problem.
"I see Daverius coming towards me," recalls Butler. "He's almost in a panic and he's looking worried and he said Mr. John, they won't let me graduate."
A school employee wouldn't let Peters in because of the black, leather shoes he was wearing.
"I walked down there and she said he can't walk the stage," said Butler. "Now, I'm confused, I don't see a problem with the shoes he's wearing."
So Butler took his off.
"And I said hey man these are a size 11 you're going to take these and walk the stage, we can't rob you of this moment," he remembers. "It was a no-brainer to me to take of my shoes and give them to him."
Which brings us back to the picture, which if you look close, shows Peters in Butler's shoes, and Butler in nothing but socks.
"It wasn't weird and I didn't think about it too much," he said. "The people around me thought about it and was wondering why I was barefoot. I knew why so it didn't bother me at all."
People are praising Butler for stepping in to help, but he says it was nothing, and would do it all over again if needed.