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NC high school football player stops to honor national anthem in viral photo

Source: Angie Gallimore (Facebook)

DAVIDSON COUNTY, N.C. — A photo of a North Carolina teen who stopped in his school's parking lot to observe the national anthem as he headed to football practice is going viral.

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According to WGHP-TV, a Davidson County Schools teacher captured South Davidson High School junior Jacob Pope's patriotic act on camera and, after getting permission from his mother, uploaded the photo to her Facebook page Sunday.

"So proud of this South Davidson student," Angie Gallimore captioned the picture, which has been shared hundreds of times. "He was alone in the parking lot and heard the National Anthem being played at the softball game. He was headed to football practice. He stopped and placed his hand over his heart. There is still hope for this world."

>> See the photo here

So proud of this South Davidson student. He was alone in the parking lot and heard the National Anthem being played at...

Posted by Angie Gallimore on Friday, September 27, 2019

Commenters praised the teen, calling him "respectful" a "great kid." Jacob's mother, Lauren Pope, joined them, writing that she was "both humbled and proud" of her son.

Jacob, who said he didn't realize at the time that someone was watching him, told WGHP that he was "really shocked" by the attention the photo has received.

"I just stopped because it was the right thing to do," he told the TV station.

Read more here.