Jack LeBreck, a grade five student at Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Hayden, Idaho, is resting on the ground to protect the American flag on a photo taken on Wednesday.(Photo: Amanda Reallan's photo)

A photo showing a schoolboy from Idaho lying on the floor to make sure no part of the American flag touches the ground has attracted international attention.

Facebook user Amanda Reallan photographed the patriotic photo on Wednesday while waiting for her children at Hayden Meadows Elementary School in Hayden, Idaho.

She noticed two boys taking the flag of the school. They were struggling to bend it, she told USA TODAY, and the flag almost rubbed the ground.

That's when another boy jumped into action. He lies under the flag, allowing the other two to fold it without the flag dropping on the ground.

Reallan took a picture and posted on social media: "I just watched the most incredible act of patriotism!" she wrote. "It must become viral!"

And since then, the image has been shared thousands of times and several national and international publications have written about it.

Jack LeBreck, the fifth student in the picture, spoke to local journalists this week.

"It's the flag of our country," he told KHQ-TV. "If you let it touch the ground, it means you are disrespectful to your country.

LeBreck attributes to goalkeeper Mac McCarty the special moment. McCarty helped select the kids to install and remove the flag of elementary school.

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"What they did yesterday was obviously all that they had …", said McCarty. "And I am very proud."

Since the photo of Reallan has attracted attention, some have asked if it was genuine.

It is most certainly, she says.

"These boys had no idea I was taking the picture," she said. "They took care of protecting the flag."

She said that she hoped to convey that kind of respect to the country to her own children.

Contribution: KREM-TV, Spokane, Wash.

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