CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Tom Brady approached the small group of students from the Boston College Campus School, and before they could say anything, he reached out his hand.
“Hi, what’s your name?” Brady said, leaning over to greet the youngsters. “I’m Tom.”
Brady’s gesture, which came following the third and final informal Patriots workout at Boston College Friday, had students and teachers at the Boston College Campus School buzzing. Brady posed for photos with the group before walking to the nearby parking garage.
“He was so friendly and down to earth,” said Molly Ceglarski, a native of Bristol, Conn. who teaches at the school. “And handsome, too.”
“He was very excited to meet the kids,” added teacher Megan Beaulieu-Jones, of Vernon, Conn. “The students really enjoyed it and you could see by the smiles on their faces. All the players came out and were giving high-fives.”
The Boston College Campus School, now in its 40th year, is a private publicly funded special education school. Students range from 3 to 21 years old, according to director Don Ricciato. This year, there are 42 students enrolled, from 25 different cities and towns.
Like others who caught word that the Patriots were working out at BC over the last three days, teachers and students hoped to watch Friday. But a heavy security presence kept them on the outside of Alumni Stadium, although they were perfectly positioned for when players exited.
Most players stopped to talk and pose for pictures.
“It was great to see them as real people,” Ceglarski said. “They hung around for a bit with the kids and wanted to know everybody’s name.”