Ky. boy becomes official taste tester for Hershey’s after viral career day post

CYNTHIANA, Ky. (WKYT) - A Cynthiana boy is the star of a new Hershey’s ad launching on Monday after he went viral last year at his school’s career day.

Lane Hartzel is now an official chocolate taste tester. For Lane, it is a perfect match. For his parents Jennifer and Tyler, it’s an opportunity for their son, who has cerebral palsy, to have a career like everyone else.

“Our day-to-day is wonderful. It’s our norm. It’s what we’ve come to expect. But every once and a while, I explain it as a wave of grief,” said Lane’s mom, Jennifer Hartzel.

That grief came around when career day was planned last school year.

“So for me, it sent me down this hole of, ‘What is he possibly going to be able to do when he grows up?’” Jennifer said.

Thanks to his teachers at Westside Elementary, they came up with the sweet fit, a Hershey’s taste tester!

“It was a career that most kids dream of, but we never thought would be possible for him because of his disability,” said Lane’s dad, Tyler Hartzel.

Jennifer shared Lane’s story on Facebook, and his principal shared it with Hershey. What came next was like dessert before dinner.

“In a matter of hours, they reached back out and wanted to get in touch, and it just snowballed into an experience we never could have imagined,” said Jennifer.

Lane is now an official taste tester for Hershey’s. He has the tough assignment of trying out recipes. His story is now an ad that is currently airing nationwide.

“I think moving forward, it opens our eyes as educators ourselves, that every child, every adult, has something they can do. We just have to make the world a place they can do it in,” said Tyler.

Lane got the celebrity treatment with his classmates all talking about his ad. YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE.

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