Sophomore Quinn Waldron had known of sophomore Eiler Buck since he was in sixth grade. They passed each other in the hallways and high fived on a regular basis, but their friendship had not truly flourished until their eighth grade year.

Downing Middle School had held an end of the year basketball tournament to raise money for the school. Because he had trouble walking, Eiler was out on the court in a wheelchair. As the tournament went on, Quinn’s team invited Eiler to play with them. The boys played basketball together and soon passed the point of acquaintanceship.

“From there they became friends,” Eiler’s mother, Mary Beth Buck said.
During their eighth grade year they were both on the football team. Quinn helped Eiler with getting the hand off of the ball. During a game against Shadow Ridge Middle School, Quinn watched as Eiler took the ball down the field and made a touchdown. Quinn said he knew then he wanted to be closer with Eiler.

Mary Beth noticed the kindling of their friendship. She reached out to Quinn to arrange a pool party with a few of his friends so the boys could spend more time together and continue growing closer.
“His mother proposed it to my mom, and I thought it was a great idea,” Quinn said.
• • •
Though his brain functions much like other teenagers, Eiler was born with physical disabilities. Because Eiler’s tongue is paralyzed, he has trouble swallowing and cannot speak. Being unable to talk makes it hard to make new friends. While Eiler has the ability to use sign language, other kids his age usually don’t. He can communicate through short phrases on his iPad, but fully expressing his feelings can be challenging.

But Quinn doesn’t let these obstacles stop him from being close with Eiler.

“Quinn, having the heart that he does, is patient enough to hold on and wait to hear and figure out what Eiler is trying to tell him or how he’s going to make him laugh,” Mary Beth said.

It’s difficult for Eiler to hang out with friends without several precautions being taken first. Because of health issues like seizures, his mother says she is usually involved in making plans to ensure Eiler is in a safe environment.

“There’s so many issues I have to check off before I go, ‘Yeah you’re good, you can be with Eiler on your own,’” Mary Beth said.

Quinn and Eiler try to spend time together when they can outside of school, but it’s not often that they do because of clashing schedules and living on opposite sides of town. Regardless of this, the two boys remain close through the Circle of Friends program, which Eiler helped introduce Quinn to.
“He’s inspired me to work hard and realize how lucky and fortunate I am,” Quinn said. “To try my best to give back to the community and Circle of Friends.”

After seeing the difficulties the members of Circle of Friends deal with in their daily lives, he has learned appreciation for the small things and not to take anything for granted. He says that if he hadn’t met Eiler or joined the group, he would be more self centered.

“He’s introduced me to a whole new perspective that without him I definitely could not have achieved,” Quinn said.

In the time the two have known each other, Quinn says he’s enjoyed watching Eiler’s physical accomplishments over the years.

“I was with him when his dad used to carry him around and now he can walk by himself up and down flights of stairs and it’s just amazing,” Quinn said.
• • •
Eiler sits at his cafeteria table next to some of his friends from football. He stands up to greet junior Matt Hankins, a friend he met last football season at practice. The two sit down next to each other, and Eiler opens his lunchbox and pulls out a funnel, a feeding tube and two containers of feeding tube formula. He hands a container to Matt.

“Oh, I got you,” Matt says, before opening it for Eiler and handing it back.
Eiler nods and hooks the feeding tube to the port in his abdomen. He pours the formula into the funnel, and watches as the liquid flows down the tube to his stomach. This is the way he eats every meal.

Though Eiler can’t speak, he has a wide circle of friends. His mother said Quinn has introduced Eiler to football players, basketball players and countless students at the school.

“They give Eiler confidence to be who he is no matter what,” Mary Beth said.

Anyone who knows Eiler can tell that he’s quite the character. Between wrestling matches and pull up competitions, Quinn knows how much Eiler can let loose and have fun.

“He’s really outgoing, he’s never awkward in any situation, he likes to be the center of attention which is great, he never gives up and goes and strives for whatever he wants to do,” Waldron said.
Quinn spends as much time with Eiler as he can and enjoys seeing the smile on his face when they are having a good time. Together they swim, play football, watch sports and play video games.

“He’s going out there and being a kid,” Mary Beth said.

Though Eiler is disabled, Quinn says he doesn’t feel that it’s a public service to be his friend.
“It’s like a normal friendship as if I’m just hanging out with my best friend,” Quinn said.