Jim Freeman carried Ryan Neighbors, 10, on his back as the group weaved through the rugged terrain at the Falls of the Ohio State Park last Friday.

Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WITH EASE. AND SHE’S LASER FOCUSED IN THE CLASSROOM. MARVIS: SHE’LL NEVER FORGET THIS HANDS-ON FIELD TRIP TO THE FALLS OF THE OHIO STATE PARK IN CLARKSVILLE LAST FRIDA >> WHEN I GOT TO SEE THE FOSSILS AND STUFF, I WAS LIKE WOW THAT’S LIKE REALLY COOL. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN TO SEE THAT BEFORE. >> SHE’S BEEN IN A WHEELCHAIR HER WHOLE LIFE. MARVIS: RYAN’S MOM SHELLY TELLS ME RYAN’S SPINAL BIFIDA CANCELED FIELD TRIP PLANS IN THE PAST. , BUT 4TH GRADE TEACHER JIM FREEMAN MADE THIS TRIP DIFFERENT OFFERING TO CARRY RYAN IN THIS SPECIAL BACKPACK SO SHE WOULDN’T MISS OUT >> AS SOON AS WE GOT HER STRAPPED IN, SHE’S LIKE THIS IS THE PART I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR. MARVIS: FREEMAN TEACHES IN THE CLASS NEXT DOOR TO RYAN’S. WHEN THE FAMILY FOUND OUT HE WANTED TO HELP, TEARS OF JOY. >> LIKE HE’S NOT EVEN RYAN’S TEACHER, AND HE WAS SO PURE HEARTED THAT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS INCLUDED AND NOT LEFT OUT AND SHE GOT TO FEEL LIKE ONE OF HER PEERS. MARVIS: SHE POSTED THE UNEXPECTED ACT OF KINDNESS TO FACEBOOK AND SINCE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SENT REACTIONS COMMENTS, AND SHARES OF SUPPORT FOR BOTH RYAN AND MR. FREEMAN ALIKE. >> NEVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE LEFT ALONE. >> THIS IS JUST ONE PHYSICAL ACT THAT YOU CAN SEE, BUT WE DO THIS COUNTLESS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. MARVIS: IN JEFFERSONTOWN, MARVIS HERRING ,WLKY

Advertisement JCPS teacher carries student with spina bifida so she can attend field trip Jim Freeman carried Ryan Neighbors, 10, on his back as the group weaved through the rugged terrain at the Falls of the Ohio State Park last Friday. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Physical barriers nearly canceled a field trip for one fourth grader who is in a wheelchair, but a teacher at the school refused to let that happen.Jim Freeman’s generosity will likely never be forgotten by Ryan Neighbors and her family.“When I got to see the fossils and stuff, I was like, wow, that's like, really cool. I haven't gotten to see that before,” Neighbors told WLKY News.Her mother, Shelly King, explained that her daughter has been in a wheelchair all her life. The 10-year old has spina bifida.While she sparkles just as brightly as her peers, her condition has been an obstacle for previous field trips, according to King.Freeman stepped in to make this trip different.He used a special backpack to tote her through the rugged outdoor terrain at the park.“As soon as we got her strapped in, she's like, this is the part I've been waiting for,” Freeman said.He teaches in the class next to Neighbors' classroom.When King found out he wanted to help her daughter, she cried tears of joy.“It melted my heart,” King said. “He's not even Ryan’s teacher and he was so pure hearted that he wanted to make sure that she was included and not left out and she got to feel like one of her peers.”King posted the unexpected act of kindness to Facebook on Friday. By Monday, there were thousands of comments, reactions and shares of support.“Never feel like you're left alone,” Neighbors told WLKY News.Freeman said he was not looking for recognition, adding he does not feel that he did anything out of the ordinary.“This is just one physical act that you can see, but we do this countless times throughout the school day and throughout the year,” Freeman said. “All the teachers here at Tully and JCPS, they work harder than most people realize.”King posts updates on her daughter’s journey here.