Video of schoolboy who befriended Syrian refugee classmate warms hearts across internet

'The whole world could learn something from Jack'

A young boy’s tale of how he befriended his new Syrian schoolmate has gone viral.

Rani Asaad fled from Syria at the age of four and was then bullied in his first few days at Harrop Fold school in Little Hulton, but Jack Stanley took him under his wing.

The short clip of Jack and Rani on ITV’s This Morning is warming hearts across the internet, with many people congratulating Jack and his family.

When asked what made him want to go and take Rani under his wing, Jack said: “Because he was in the corner by himself so I thought, ‘He needs a friend.’ So I thought I’ll go up to him and ask him, ‘How are you? Where are you from?’

“He said Syria. And I took a step back because on the radio, the TV, you hear bad things about it. But I said, ‘Come and join us, come and join our group,’ and he did and here we are.”

And 12-year-old Jack’s attitude has won him an army of fans.

“The whole world could learn something from Jack,” wrote one person.

Jack and Rani featured on Channel 4’s Educating Greater Manchester on Thursday evening, and many people were touched by his kindness.

Jack’s mother Steph, however, says it’s just his typical behaviour.

“I’m just so proud of my son,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “That’s just Jack through and through.

“He will take anybody under their wing if he thinks his assistance will help them. If he sees anybody in any bother, he will go out of his way to make them feel welcome.”

And the headmaster of the boys’ school, Drew Povey, has also been praised.

“I’m absolutely bursting with pride for all the school stands for,” he said. “I think it’s a great message to put out that this is how we should integrate.

“We should understand these complex social issues and integrate people as best we can.”

We should all be more like Jack.