'America needs many more just like them': Why this photo of 4 teenagers standing in the street is causing a stir online

Although it might not look that significant at first glance, a photo of four boys pictured standing together on a street has gone viral after the reasoning behind why they stopped in their tracks came to light.

Mike Ullery Jr. was on his way to a high school football game last Friday in Midland, Mich., when he spotted the boys.

Even though they were already running late for the game, Ullery said the boys came to a sudden halt when they heard the pregame national anthem begin to play.

Stunned by their act of patriotism, Ullery snapped a photo of the boys standing with their hands over their hearts.

The four Bullock Creek High School students came to a halt to pay their respects as the national anthem sounded inside the Midland County, Mich., stadium. (Credit: Facebook/Mike Ullery Jr.)
The four Bullock Creek High School students came to a halt to pay their respects as the national anthem sounded inside the Midland County, Mich., stadium. (Credit: Facebook/Mike Ullery Jr.)

“I was impressed by these Bullock Creek boys. Running late to the game they heard the national anthem and stopped, took off their hats and placed hands over heart. Respect,” Ullery wrote on Facebook.

The original Facebook post has since been shared thousands of times, with social media users also heaping praise on the students.

The boys later reached out to Ullery on his Facebook post, identifying themselves as Dakota Lehner, Mikiah Lehner, Taylor Cox, and Collin Hitchingham, who are students at Bullock Creek High School in Midland County, Mich.

I bet they are young men of character! America needs many more just like them,” one commenter wrote.

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