SAO PAULO (AP) – Hamilton Moreira is a huge fan of Brazil’s Corinthians, one of the country’s top football clubs.
But the 16-year-old, who uses a wheelchair and has autism, never saw them in person until last Sunday after his mother learned of their stadium’s special room for people with autism.
It’s built into the ninth floor high above one of the goals.
“He just loved this,” Ana Moreira, 53, told The Associated Press.
“Hamilton is a hardcore football fan, like the entire family. He watches until the very end, he celebrates with the players. It feels great to include him here,” she said.
The facility in NeoQuimica Arena is called a ‘sensory room’, designed to have a calming effect.
It has noise-proof glass walls, special lighting, crayons spread on multiple tables, toys and food – all of which can keep occupants busy during matches.