A 9-year-old Australian boy went viral after his video was posted online. Quaden Bayles, who has dwarfism, was seen crying on the said video while telling his mother about the bullying that he suffered at school. The public and the media were quick to send messages of support and love to the child, and the video garnered 14 million views.
The outpour of support
Celebrities also sent their love and support. Actor Hugh Jackman posted a video on his social media account and gave Quaden an encouraging message, he also addressed bullying and reminded the public to always be kind.
Numerous sports teams in Australia also showed their support and the Indigenous ruby league invited him to a match, which he attended on February 22. Basketball star Enes Kanter also tweeted a message of support to Quaden and he invited the boy's whole family to an NBA game.
The son of the US president, Eric Trump, retweeted the video and described it as absolutely heartbreaking. Comedian Brad William, who has the same condition as Quaden called Achondroplasia, said that he was able to raise $130,000 in less than a day. A GoFundMe page was also opened in his name, and the goal was to send him to Disneyland, a sure way to put a smile on his face.
Brad William stated that the campaign is for anyone who has been bullied, and it is a way to show that there is still good in this world and that everyone is worthy of happiness.
Quaden Bayles's family reject Disneyland trip
Quaden Bayles went viral again on February 28 after he turned down the offer to go to Disneyland. Instead of using the money that was raised in his name, the boy decided to donate the money to charity.
The public praised Quaden, and his family was touched by his gesture. However, they told the media that they still want people to focus on the issue, which is bullying. Quaden's aunt, Mundanara Bayles told NITV that her nephew is just a part of a massive problem in society. She also said that the family wanted to give the money to organizations that really need it.
The consequences of bullying
Bullying is not just experienced by children, numerous adults also reported bullying. This epidemic has numerous serious implications. According to DoSomething.org, 1 in 5 American children experienced bullying and around 160,000 teenagers skipped school because of it.
Bullied children have poor academic performance, they develop depression, anxiety and anger issues, and they also have low-self esteem and develop personality disorders as soon as they reach adulthood. The ramifications of bullying are severe than what people think because it can alter a person's outlook in life and some even commit suicide.
The most common types of bullying are verbal harassment, social harassment, physical bullying and cyberbullying. Victims are bullied because of their physical appearance, race, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation.
An organization, Public Justice, launched an anti-Bullying Campaign is made to hold schools accountable when they fail to protect children. They also want to force schools to take appropriate steps to respond to bullying.
ALSO READ: Bullying: A Menace That Haunts The Mind Of Every Child And Parent
