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When it comes to raising kids, most parents would agree that they just want to raise good, kind humans who treat others with respect and empathy. So when situations involving bullying arise, parents want to think of their child as the defender (at best) or an innocent bystander (at worst).But what happens when YOUR kid is the bully?
*Featured image contains photo by RDNE Stock project and PixabayFor a lot of teenagers, high school is a battlefield. It's not just a place of education; it's a microcosm of society where social dynamics reign supreme, bullies rule, and the struggle for acceptance and belonging can feel like a war zone.One Redditor who goes by u/pasanquecosas knows this only too well. Now 29, her high school experience was far from idyllic. That is until she struck a deal with her popular classmate. In exchange for doing his homework, he defended her against her bullies. It was a win-win.She found peace and he found a transcript littered with good grades. But that's not all he found. He went on to become wildly successful (and RICH). And while @pananquecosas may have forgotten about him, he never forgot about her. Recently, he messaged her on Instagram to say "thank you" for giving him a leg up all those years ago. And to pay her back? He offered to buy her a car. AND a house. A Ghost From the Past Comes Forward With a Gift for the FutureIn a Reddit post that has gone viral, @pasanquecosas shares her story, explaining that when she was in high school she was a magnet for bullies due to having cerebral palsy, walking with crutches, and being a self-professed "nerd.""One year they mixed us so I had new classmates. The bullying was worse but then one of the popular guys would defend me. At first, I was confused but when I saw that he would leave me his notebooks I understood," she writes."And so began our symbiotic (?) relationship. The bullying stopped and I would make his homework every day. We never talked about it, and whenever he spoke to me he sounded angry."@pasanquecosas via RedditThis continued for three years until they both graduated and went their separate ways. They never spoke again. Until out of the blue, he slid into her DMs. "But then a week ago he reached out on Instagram. He told me how good life had been for him, he offered to buy me a house and a car. At first, I thought it was a scam but we made video calls, he showed me things and it’s legit," she writes.Turns out, Mr. Popularity is now a "successful businessman worth millions living abroad." Woman Refuses Former Classmate's OfferThe guy I did homework for in high school reached out and now wants to buy me a house byu/pasanquecosas inTrueOffMyChestSurprisingly, @pasanquecosas refused his offers. Despite how difficult being disabled and a woman in her (unnamed) country can be, she's doing okay on her own.And then the phone rang. It was a medical center informing her that someone had paid for three years worth of physical therapy. Yup, Mr. P. Confused by what to do about his generosity, she decided to take to the Reddit community, "True Off My Chest," for guidance."I’m still ??????? cause I saw our relationship as purely transactional and now he comes and says he owes me????? im so confused."She also added the comment, "It’s an amazing gesture but I don’t really feel like I did something worthy of such gratitude."While she may have been confused, more than 500 commenters weren't. Almost all of them encouraged her to take him up on his offers.Paying It Backwards A week after writing the first Reddit post, @pasanquecosas added a follow-up post. "We did another video call where I explained to him why I was hesitant to accept and told him all my doubts and fears about the whole ordeal," she writes."He also opened up to me and told me some sensitive stuff, which I would’ve never imagined. At the end we agreed that he would finish paying the car I had just started paying through credit. And also we found a little nice apartment in a good zone where I could be more comfortable."Her lawyer is currently working on the paperwork. She adds that despite their mutual gratitude, this isn't the start of an amazing friendship. Some things are best left in the past. "I feel like this closed a chapter in my life and I think it’s the same for him. I don’t think we’ll ever talk again, nor do I think we are friends. He truly lives in another world and our realities are not compatible."Sometimes We Have No Idea of the Impact We Have on Others@Pasanquecosas admits that it wasn't until Mr. P reached out to her that she stopped to think about how their arrangement positively impacted her own life. In her mind, it was just a mutually beneficial contract.Doing his homework was a means to an end; a way to survive high school. It was a standard case of, "If you'll scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."In Mr.P's mind, however, it was so much more. It not only helped set him on the path to success but it made such a massive impact that it drove him to seek her out years later so he could repay her WITH A HOUSE.Oftentimes, we don't realize how our small day-to-day actions can affect others. And what may seem fairly insignificant to us? May hold significant meaning for someone else. More from Goalcast:Teacher Hand Delivers Free Lunches to His Students at Their House – But That Wasn’t All He BroughtStranger Shows Up at Woman’s House in the Middle of the Night – Her Doorbell Camera Catches the Entire Exchange8-Year-Old Loses All His Toys in a House Fire – Little Did He Know His Classmates and Teachers Had a Secret
Like most parents, Patrick Forseth is doing his best to raise a respectful kid who treats others with love and kindness. But when this single dad discovered his son was bullying another classmate, he hit a bump in the parenting road.Instead of taking his son's behavior as a sign of personal failure, Forseth did the exact opposite — and it made all the difference.After careful consideration, this single dad proved he didn't need a partner to consult with — he knew just what to do.In his brilliant three minute video, the Arkansas native shares what happened and how he attacked the problem.Here's what we can learn from his "gentle parenting" approach.How a Man Reacted to a ”Prank” His Son Had PulledPatrick Forseth/ TikTokWhen Forseth received an email about a "prank" his son Lincoln pulled, he knew the teacher was sugar coating a bigger problem.The teacher shared that Forseth's 9-year-old had unfortunately pulled a stunt that left his fellow classmate feeling hurt and embarrassed."I don't care who you are — that's bullying."Patrick Forseth, TikTokWhile it can be hard to see the faults in our kids we work so tirelessly to raise, this one dad was under no illusions.In his video, Forseth shares his simple philosophy. "If you do something to somebody that, you know, has the potential end result of them being embarrassed in front of a class or hurt, you’re bullying.”Forseth chose the road less traveled. Instead of failing to recognize his son's behavior as problematic, he chose to embrace the situation fully.Amazingly, instead of seeing the bullying as a result of his own parenting, he took the opportunity to show up and show case his parental strengths. It Was a “Long Talk” Not a LectureFor Forseth, it wasn't just about this isolated incident. It was about showing his son Lincoln the kind of person he chose to be in that moment and how that had the potential to affect his choices down the line.He opened the discussion by asking his son how he would feel if the roles were reversed. Yes, we can never deny the old "step in somebody else's shoes" still has its charm. But it didn't end there.Forseth didn't give his son a run-of-the-mill lecture listing all his faults and then abruptly confiscating his iPad and sending him to his room without dinner. Those of us who are older know this punishment well and most of the time "sitting in our room to think about what we've done" never helped.In fact, the harsh punishment just breeds contempt for our parents and made us want to lash out more at the kid who put us there.It Wasn’t a Monologue — It Was a DialogueKids aren't that much different than adults. If our boss pulled us aside for an hour and talked our ear off about how poorly we've been performing lately and why they'll have to scale back our lunch hours so we can make up for all our work, we'd probably not take the news so well.A better approach would be for our boss to acknowledge how we have previously performed much better — and open up a dialogue for how we can work together to do better so we can achieve goals, collectively.We all prefer to be talked to rather than talked at. So this single dad applied that same principle to his son's predicament — and guess what? It totally paid off.Watch Patrick Forseth’s Video:Why One Dad Didn’t Force His Son to ApologizeIn his now viral TikTok, Patrick Forseth (@halfdeaddad) shared that while he found an appropriate punishment for his son, he didn't do what you would think.He didn't force him to apologize.But he did encourage it."I demanded nothing out of him. I demanded no apology, I demanded no apology to the teacher.”Patrick Forseth, TikTokHe continued, “I told him that we have the opportunity to go back and make things right. We can't take things back, but we can try to correct things and look for forgiveness.”And that's exactly what 9-year-old Lincoln Forseth did.We Can’t Take Anything Back but We Can Make It Right"Doing the next right thing" may sound simple but it's not easy. While Forseth was honest with Lincoln and told him he can't take anything back, he assured him he could do better next time.And Lincoln chose to do better in the cutest way possible.Sharing His Pokemon CardsPatrick Forseth/ TikTokWhen Lincoln returned to school the next day he was inspired by his discussion with his dad.Yes, he admitted he was nervous but he was a little excited too. Instead of just apologizing, Lincoln chose to extend a hand of friendship.He asked his classmate what he liked — and to his surprise found common ground.Both boys had a shared love of collecting Pokemon Cards. Right then and there Lincoln made up his mind that when he would go home, he would dust off two of his favorite Pokemon cards and gift them to his new friend.His sweet gesture of cleaning the cards is better than any forced apology.How One Dad Emphasized the Importance of Talking to Your KidsWe may try out best to be impartial, but it's easy to fall into the trap of seeing our children as an extension of ourselves. And it makes sense! After all, they are literally made up of our very own DNA!But in making it about us we miss the point entirely. Instead of taking his son's behavior as a sign of personal failure, Forseth did the exact opposite — and it made all the difference.“I just want to encourage all parents to talk to your kids,” Forseth concluded. “Let's try to avoid just the swat on the butt [and] send them to their room. Doesn't teach them anything.”Sometimes, in trying to warn their children about the importance of their actions, parents can make the innocent mistake of making their kids feel like they are innately "bad" kids. Instead of focusing on their choices, they refuse to see the problem at all. Either ends of the spectrum are extreme and don't get through to kids in the long run. Studies have proven that children grow most when they believe in their innate goodness and understand that yes, their choices have weight, but they always have the power to choose better.More from Goalcast:Diner Owner Finds Out Homeless People Are Begging His Customers for Money – The Way He Handled It Goes ViralMan Messages His High School Bully on Facebook After 20 Years and Confronts Him – But He Receives an Unexpected ResponseRacist Man Refuses to Apologize for His Daughter’s Bullying – Until the Victim’s Father Gets the Last Laugh
When Dayna Motycka's daughter faced bullying over a $10 Walmart water bottle instead of the pricier $45 Stanley, Dayna shared her frustration on TikTok. The video sparked a heated debate about societal values and parenting. Despite Dayna acknowledging her privilege, the question lingers: Is fitting in by buying the expensive bottle the right solution?Her Daughter Was Bullied for Shopping at WalmartFor Christmas, all the other girls in her class had gotten brand label "Stanley Quencher" water bottles. The trendy mug is all the rage and retails for upwards of $45. When Dayna's daughter returned home from school after the winter break, she was devastated to learn her little girl had been bullied for buying her bottle at a discount store.This Ohio mom wasted no time. She took to TikTok to share with her followers the "short and sweet" lesson she learned — and audiences were divided.In the video Dayna holds up the $10 Walmart tumbler in question:"This is the cup we got our daughter for Christmas. This isn't the Stanley. This is a $9.98 Walmart Cup that she said she thought was cute."Even though there isn't a noticeable difference in quality — especially for a young girl — it didn't stop the kids from calling her daughter a "fake."“And they made sure to let her know that this is not a real Stanley, that this is fake, and it’s not as cool.”Dayna MotyckaThe Shocking Part? Her Daughter Is Only 9 Years Old!At such a young age, these kids are already tuned into putting others down for displaying signs of being in a "lower" class. But Dayna doesn't necessarily blame the kids for not knowing any better — it's the parents she has a reminder for.The mother believes this sort of bullying starts at home with the parents. “This doesn’t start with the kids. This starts with us, with parents, with moms. What are we teaching our kids?” Her message was clear: What are we teaching our children about the importance of labels?It’s About Time to Break the CycleDayna's simple story grabbed the attention of TikTokers everywhere. Her video quickly received nearly 4 million views and over 18,000 comments. “You’d better believe that if our nine-year-old daughter came home and, somehow, we found out that she had made fun of another girl at school for not having something name-brand… we would be calling the family," Dayna shared. "We would be making her write a note to apologize, we would make her apologize in person because that’s not what we do in this household.”One commentator was quick to draw the parallels between past and present...and her sentiment hit home for many:"The girls who made fun of others in the 2000s for not having Uggs/Abercrombie are the moms of the girls making fun of others for not having Stanleys."@_stephanie_v_Her “Quick Fix” Only Made Matters WorseDayna ended the video with admitting that even though she knew better, she ultimately decided to get her daughter the Stanley mug so she could fit in with the other girls. Her response drew a mix of some positive praise and some raised eyebrows from users who were unclear as to what her message was.Is It Fair for Her to Say One Thing — Then Do Another?In her video, Dayna is quick to acknowledge her privilege. She discloses to her viewers that yes, she has a one Stanley Tumbler for herself and that yes, she can afford to buy her daughter the pricey water bottle as well — but that's not the point.On one hand its important that Dayna is contributing to the conversation and grabbing headlines with her wise words on the subject matter.But on the other hand, it's important to remember that there are plenty of parents who aren't in Dayna's position and wouldn't be able to afford buying the $45 bottle. So what is the solution for them?It Starts With you…so You Decide!While is totally relatable that Dayna caved to the pressure and got her daughter the trendy water bottle to "stop the bleeding" (so to speak), making the immediate problem go away is just a temporary solution — and in some cases can even make matters worse.The long con is helping her daughter build up her confidence and sense of self, so in the future, those kinds of comments won't get her down. But the hope for tomorrow doesn't have to be the reality for today!Every day we face new situations and there's rarely one right or wrong answer. The fact of the matter is, we don't need to die on every hill. For some of us, that can be a really hard lesson to learn. Ultimately, it's OK for Dayna to share her frustrations with her daughter's experience of bullying and then still try and put an end to that bullying by helping her fit in. There's times to fit in and times to stand out.For this mom, she weighed the pros and cons and cut her losses. Despite certain convictions we may have...we should always work to judge others less. Take the good, leave the bad, and just try to do the next right thing.And if that's not enough, there's always this Reddit mom, who's fighting the system!More from Goalcast:
Not everyone is born with the same advantages in life, but we all deserve to be here. That’s something a woman named Mui Thomas took time to realize growing up after abandonment, bullying, and mental health issues took a toll.Thankfully, her inspiring story is now motivating others around the world to accept themselves for who they are, as well.A Rare ConditionThomas was born in Hong Kong with a rare genetic condition known as harlequin ichthyosis. That means her skin is thicker than usual and is dry and flaky. As a result, she is prone to infection, and her skin has a red hue. Her bones are brittle, and she needs to watch her sun exposure.When she was born, her parents abandoned her. A couple named Tina and Rog Thomas came across her when she was a year and a half old, and even though they were told Mui didn’t have long to live, they decided to foster her. “We wanted to give her a family life in the time she had,” Tina explained to CNN.The couple could not have a child of their own, and they thought their time with Mui was temporary. So, when she began thriving at the age of three, they decided to adopt her.They learned to care for the condition and bathed her twice daily for two hours each bath. They also equipped her with a backpack filled with three or four creams that she needed to use to prevent her skin from drying out.Through it all, Mui continued to grow and is currently the fourth-oldest person alive with harlequin ichthyosis at the age of 30.Dealing With BulliesGrowing up, things weren’t easy for Mui. At first, she wasn’t aware she was different than other kids. When she began secondary school, however, things changed drastically. At school, she needed an educational assistant, which made it hard for her to make friends.Online things were even worse as a result of cyberbullying, and Mui considered taking her own life. She stopped taking her medication or applying her creams, she refused to bathe, and she considered jumping off the balcony of her home.“They’d say things like ‘You shouldn’t have been born’ – and very personal things that only people who knew me would know,” she told CNN.“It made me very wary of everybody. Even when people tried to be nice, I didn’t repay it. I didn’t trust them.”After about 10 months, the police became involved, and the bully was outed. He turned out to be someone Mui thought was her friend.Turning Things AroundBy the time Mui left school, it was with no qualifications due to the things she’d endured. Still, she wanted to make a difference and speak out about her experiences. Eventually, she found a job working with people with special needs and began booking public speaking engagements. On stage, she speaks about living with a visible difference and the dangers of cyberbullying.Today, people contact her via her online platform, The Girl Behind the Face.“It’s difficult for her because she spent so long denying it,” her father told CNN. “The more she confronts it, the more she is aware of it – it will build confidence.”On the weekends, meanwhile, Mui has unlocked another passion: rugby. The sport is dear to her father, and she wanted to get involved. She knew playing wasn’t an option, so she became a ref for kids’ matches instead.“Being in the kit allows me that feeling that I've always dreamed of, fitting in with everybody else because if people shout at me on a rugby field, it's one of the coaches complaining about a decision that I've made,” she shared in a TEDx Talk.Now, Mui has a whole new outlook on life.“Meet people, make connections, have a really strong support network, and also be open,” she shared online. “If you're struggling, it's okay to speak out and smile — smiling helps a lot.”Embracing Our DifferencesIt isn’t our job to judge others for how they look or live their lives. Our job is to love. This story reminds us of that and of the importance of treating others with kindness and respect no matter where we are, in person or online. Words matter.More importantly, this story reminds us that while we cannot control the actions of others, we can choose how to view ourselves and tell our story. So the next time you’re feeling down or overwhelmed, remember The Girl Behind the Face and how she used her experiences to inspire an entire world.More from Goalcast:Woman With Rare Skin Condition Is Called a “Monster” – But the Man She Met Online Ignored Haters and Married Her AnywaysTwo Brothers With Rare Heart Condition Die 3 Years Apart — 2 Hours Later, One of Them Wakes UpWoman Diagnosed With Rare Genetic Disorder Wonders if She’ll Ever Find Love – Then One Man Steps in With the Answer
Trigger Warning: This article mentions suicide.*Featured image contains photo by Anna ShvetsHigh school can be a rough time for kids, with a capital R. The hallowed halls are a breeding ground for drama, self-loathing, broken hearts, and a burning desire to just fit in. For Michael Stright, high school was a battlefield. A place where he endured relentless bullying at the hands of two of his fellow classmates. It got so bad, in fact, that he attempted suicide multiple times and eventually dropped out.Years later, at the age of 42, he discovered one of his tormentors on Facebook and decided to confront his past. It didn't go as he expected.Facing the Ghost of His PastIn a recent TikTok video that has gone viral, Michael shares that in 2013 he found his childhood bully, Jeff, on Facebook through a mutual friend. Seeing his name "brought back a lot of bad memories" for Michael. He had two choices; he could continue to give Jeff power over his life or he could face his demon. He chose the latter.In an incredible act of courage, Michael wrote Jeff a message. And Jeff? Well, he responded. And finally, after years and years of harboring trauma, Michael was able to find closure, peace, and healing for that inner child who suffered so much pain.He shared screenshots of their conversation which have been viewed by over 2.9 million people in just a few days.Prepare yourself.Michael did not tread lightly. He had a lot to say and he wasn't about to sugarcoat any of it. "Certain memories stay with you for life and the horrible memories of having you teasing me day after day. Did you know that I tried to commit suicide 3 times in school cause of the sh*t you and others put me through?"Michael StrightMichael went on to explain that he wasn't looking for pity. He just wanted the chance to finally move on.A Bully Responds To Michael's surprise, the response he received was not defensive or dismissive. Instead, his former bully expressed deep remorse for the pain he had caused and thanked him for calling him out.Despite not meaning to be malicious, Jeff acknowledged that his intentions back then didn't matter — "because it hurt you and nobody deserves to feel like that." He even opened up to Michael about his own kids being bullied, wondering if it is "retribution" for the way he treated him. (After all, what goes around, comes around.) He went on to admit to contemplating suicide himself due to depression and anxiety. "I am VERY happy that you did not commit suicide because of the actions of an insensitive classmate. I was an idiot and thought I was being "cool"...I was just an asshole, and I truly hope confronting me about this does make you feel better because you deserve that," Jeff wrote. He added, "I'll never be able to apologize enough to undo the damage I did, but please know that I'll be forever grateful for you having the courage to show me what I truly was ... and I'm disgusted and ashamed of myself."Jeff's emotional apology had a profound effect on Michael, bringing him to tears. But he wasn't the only one crying...several thousands of commenters were crying right along with him.Response to the TikTok Was StaggeringTo say the video has resonated with a lot of people is an understatement. The number of people with similar experiences is heartbreaking. Commenter after commenter shared their own stories, many of them with a much darker ending."That feeling of being bullied relentlessly has never left me, I'm 42 now. I cannot or will never forgive them. They took my formative years away. 😔""I'm 43 and because of being bullied my brain will never let me believe that anyone really likes me, anyone my sister, fiance friends family it's hard.""It sticks with you for life, changes who you are, stops you achieving things because of lack of confidence. It never leaves you. Some scars can't heal.""My brother was horrifically bullied during his school years, affected his life and how he was as an adult. Sadly he took his own life at 27." The Power of Redemption and ForgivenessJeff passed away in 2017, four years after his text exchange with Michael. As for Michael? He's glad he reached out when he did.Not only did it take a lot of courage for Michael to confront his high school bully, but it took a lot of maturity, emotional integrity, and personal growth for Jeff to respond the way he did. He took ownership of his actions and did his best to make amends. And isn't that what this life is all about? That we continuously evolve and grow so that we can become the best versions of ourselves?Despite their past history of anguish and torment, the two men were able to come together in a beautiful display of the power of forgiveness and redemption. And while it may have been two decades in the making, it's also proof that it's never too late to make up for past mistakes. More from Goalcast:Racist Man Refuses to Apologize for His Daughter’s Bullying – Until the Victim’s Father Gets the Last LaughTeen Finds Out His Classmates Are Bullying His Best Friend for His Old Shoes – So He Saves Up $135 and Does ThisMom Learns Her Son Has Been Bullying His Classmate – What She Does Next Shocks the Internet
Bullying is a sad reality faced daily by many children in school. Usually they feel ashamed of their circumstances and do not know how to reach out and ask for help. Luckily, there are some in school who do the right thing and stand up for victims, like in the case of Skyler Carter, who went above and beyond to help his classmate. Shoes in the ToiletTanner Hendrix was being bullied at school. One day, it got so bad that the bullies took Tanner’s shoes and threw them into the toilet. Tanner’s parents took the issue to the school, and they disciplined the children responsible for the incident. However, Tanner was still hurt. The week after the attack, a senior from his school, Skyler Carter, showed up to the Hendrix house with a kind surprise.Brand New PairSkyler had heard about what happened to Tanner, and he decided to use his own money to buy a pair of replacement shoes for his classmate. Tanner’s mother, Meghan, was blown away by the act of kindness. Last week at school Tanner had someone take his shoes and put them in the toilet. This absolutely broke my mama heart…Meghan Hendrix“I am forever grateful to this boy for being there for Tanner and for reminding us all what it means to just be a good person. #imnotcryingyourecrying #okimcrying #blessedandgrateful #spreadpositivevibes,” she wrote on Facebook.A Wonderful ExampleThe story of Skyler’s kindness towards Tanner went viral on social media, and for good reason. In a sea of depressing news stories, it gives us hope to hear about such kind and selfless actions. Acts of kindness, no matter how small, can have a big impact on us all. So, thank you Skyler!More from Goalcast:Bullied Teen Feels “Worthless” Before Prom – Little Did She Know 300 Bikers Were About to Give Her a Night She’d Never ForgetBullied Student Finds a Crowd Gathered at the School Gym – The Reason Why Goes ViralBullied Boy Loses Hope After a Priceless Gift From His Grandmother Is Stolen – But His Best Friends Feel Otherwise
Prom is typically a big deal for high schoolers; a night to dress up, dance, and make lasting memories.But for Felicity Warburton, her high school prom meant even more than that. It was also an opportunity for her to send her classmates and tormentors a very clear message — "They can't hurt her anymore."A Bullied Teen’s Mother Rallies the Troops for PromDiagnosed with dyslexia and Asperger Syndrome (which makes social interactions challenging), 15-year-old Felicity has endured years of merciless taunting and bullying at school. It got so bad in high school that she even contemplated suicide.Heartbroken for her daughter, Felicity's mother, Kathryn, wanted to do something to make one pivotal high school experience a positive one. Knowing her daughter's love of bikes and all things leather, she decided to turn to her local U.K. biker gang for help. She posted a gutwrenching plea on the Worcester Motorcycle Club's Facebook page asking for volunteers to escort Felicity to prom.She wrote:"I am after a bit of a favour. My daughter currently goes to school Blessed Edward in Worcester but has been bullied from her very first day of primary school all the way through into her last weeks of high school."She explained that Felicity has Asperger's and finds making friends "incredibly difficult." Kathryn added: "Felicity has been looking forward to her prom as she feels that this will be the point where she can show them (the bullies) that they can't hurt her anymore. They have been bullying her so much she has even contemplated suicide in the past year, so I really want her prom to be everything she wants and needs it to be."Turns out, the bikers did too.Not All Angels Have Wings, Some Have Two Wheels & Leather ChapsFelicity's parents were hoping for 10 or so bikers. What they got was 30 times that amount. In an incredible outpouring of support, nearly 300 burly bikers showed up to escort Felicity to prom, many of whom had their own stories of cruel tormentors growing up. "They kept coming batch by batch until there were so many bikers you couldn't even see Felicity in the middle of them all," her dad, Rich Morris, told Worcester News.And while their black leather and chrome may have been in stark contrast with Felicity's long, sparkling champagne dress, they all shared one thing in common: the unmistakable feeling of belonging. The 5-mile journey from Felicity's house to the school ended up taking over 30 minutes thanks to the sheer volume of the procession. And when Felicity and her best friend Emily roared up to prom on a trike? They were met with cheers and applause from their fellow classmates and teachers.A welcome LONG overdue.The family was blown away by the support, but Felicity most of all. "She was abused every day and it crushed her but we felt that after Monday night we could see our lovely, bubbly Felicity really enjoying herself," Rich said."To see that smile break out on her face was very overwhelming. The confidence it brought out in Felicity was amazing," he added.How a Group of Bikers Proved the Power Found in Showing UpEveryone deserves to feel loved and valued. Full stop. Sadly, so many of our teens feel anything but. According to stopbullying.gov, 20% of students ages 12-18 experience bullying nationwide. Additionally, according to a 2020 SURVEY conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center, 50% of children aged 9 – 12 are victims of school bullying.That’s 1 in 2. Let that sink in for a minute. The ramifications of being a victim of bullying are no joke. It is linked to a number of negative outcomes including impacts on mental health, substance use, and even suicide.Because the reality is that the messages we receive from people matter.While one night and a posse of bikers may not be enough to erase years and years of exclusion and relentless bullying, it did provide a profound and potentially life-changing sense of belonging to a young girl who desperately needed it. (And hopefully taught her bullies a thing or two about inclusion, something they clearly know nothing about).Whether it's 300 people coming together or just one, we all have the power to show someone they aren't alone. And we can do it in the simplest way possible — just by showing up. More from Goalcast:Fourth Grader Makes a Promise to Classmate With Down Syndrome – Years Later, He Shows Up to Fulfill the PactYoung Woman Whose Father Passed Away Steps off the Prom Bus – Finds a Dozen Police Officers Waiting for HerNobody Asks Teen With Down Syndrome to Prom – But One Man Travels 459 Miles Across the Country to Be Her Date
It’s a sad truth that mean people do exist in the world. Unfortunately, an eight-year-old boy and his father experienced such mean people firsthand when they were shopping at a Target in Southington, Connecticut. But while the incident got them down, the kindness and goodness of strangers rallying around them quickly picked them up.A Chance EncounterWhen Gabe and T.J. Lyles II went on a quick shopping trip this past summer, they were surprised when three men approached them. The strangers claimed to be from the good-deeds YouTube channel MrBeast, who is known for helping out those in need.The men reportedly wanted to know if Gabe would be interested in a fill-your-cart challenge. Why? Because he has bilateral severe-to-profound hearing loss.“Whatever was in the cart, they would pay for,” Lyles explained to the Washington Post of the 30-second challenge. “My little guy really wanted to do that.”According to Lyles, his son “lit up like a Christmas tree” because he’s a huge fan of MrBeast. “One of his main dreams is to be a YouTuber, and he wants to be famous. He thought this was his chance.”A Challenge Gone WrongPhoto by Shabaz Usmani on UnsplashAs the men were detailing the rules of the challenge, Lyles said Gabe leaned in closer to hear and explained he is partially deaf. “That’s exactly who we're looking for,” the father recalls one man saying.Lyles was skeptical, especially when a Target employee couldn’t confirm the legitimacy of the challenge. But he agreed to do the challenge with his son in the end. Then, as they were blindfolded and filling their carts up with items, his heart sank as he heard the men run away.“At that point, I’m taking off my blindfold, and I now have to tell my son that he got pranked,” Lyles recalled. The men weren’t a part of MrBeast, and the whole thing was a fake. “He’s in tears, and I’m trying to calm him down,” Lyles continued. “He’s a very loving kid. He wants to see the best in people.”Lyles was also upset, and he wasn’t about to just forget about what happened. He went on social media to share the story and his anger about how those random men thought it was funny to target his son.“I do not know what type of sick individual targets kids with special needs,” he wrote in the post. “I understand as an adult, I should have known better, but honestly, I did not think someone would be as disgusting to stoop that low.”A Community RespondsMany were appalled to hear what happened to this little boy, and they wanted to help. (Even MrBeast is trying to track Gabe down.) The chair of the town’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities reached out to get the full story, then summoned her commission to allocate funds for Gabe.They also went to Target, and the store agreed to match their $200 contribution to give the kid a real shopping spree.“I cried on the spot,” Lyles said about the $400 gift when he found out. “I could not believe that they would do something that nice.”Organizers arranged for the shopping spree right away, even though it was a long weekend. Gabe filled his cart with Nerf guns and water toys.“Thank you so much, everybody, for making my dream come true,” Gabe said in a Facebook video from the Target parking lot, right after the shopping spree. “Thank you all who did this for me.”“I’m so happy it ended this way for him,” the father added. “We hope it inspires people to do nice things for others.”Kindness Always WinsIt’s awful to think about how sad Gabe felt and how angry and hopeless his father probably was after these men tricked them. But it’s also heartwarming to see how others responded and how in the end, Gabe learned that there are more good people than bad out there in this world.It’s a reminder to all of us to always lead with kindness, no matter what we might be going through in our own lives. Smile at others and make them feel appreciated and seen. And do nice things for others, especially when they least expect it.Because at the end of the day, we don’t know what other people are going through either. But by leading with compassion and kindness, we can at least do our part to make sure the world is a nicer place.More from Goalcast:Teen’s Crush Agrees to Be His Date to the Dance, Then Plays a Cruel Prank on Him – So He Gets the Best RevengeTikTok Prankster Unexpectedly Befriends Homeless Man, Helps Him Get Out Of DebtEmployee Blocks Teen From Riding Ferris Wheel Because of Her “Disability” – So Her Stunned Friends Take Action
Unfortunately, bullying is still pretty common in the United States. Nearly one out of every five students (about 20%) report being bullied during the school year. Being bullied in your neighborhood is just as rough because no one wants to be uncomfortable or feel unwelcome in their own community.That’s how one little boy was feeling when he began ringing on neighborhood doorbells in Texas recently. Dejected from the continuous bullying, he was in search of friends — fast.A Desperate PlightIn July, 11-year-old Shayden Walker rang the doorbell of his neighbors Brennan and Angell Ray. He was looking for friends. “I just wanted to see if you knew any kids who are like, 11, 12, maybe cause I need some friends,” he said. “Really bad.”In the video, which Brennan later posted on TikTok, you can hear the father explaining how a couple of kids live a few houses over. “Ok, well, they’re not my friends anymore because they’re bullies to me. They keep bullying me,” Shayden explained.He then offered to be friends with Brennan and Angell’s two-year-old. Touched, Brennan promised that if he saw Shayden around, he would stop and chat with him. But he knew he needed to do more. So he and Angell started a GoFundMe to help this kid find some friends.“My main thing, I was thinking of Shayden. I was thinking about how this is going to make this kid’s summer, it’s going to change his life possibly, so he was like really what was on my mind, just making sure that he’s happy and can make some friends,” Brennan told an ABC News outlet.The Situation Goes Viral The video touched a lot of other people as well, and the story quickly went viral. Within the first hour of posting the GoFundMe link, they had raised $2,000. The initial goal was $7,000, as Brennan and Angell figured they might be able to help Shayden get a gaming system and some new clothes or maybe even a couple of amusement park tickets.Five hours later, however, they had already raised $10,000.“Before I could get off work, we had passed $20,000, and so it was honestly, it was mind-blowing how fast it happened,” Angell said. “We were honestly hoping to get to Shayden and his parents before they had seen it, but it had gone so viral that there was no way.”When Shayden’s mom, Krishna Patterson, saw the video, she was thankful for the neighbors who wanted to help her son.“When I was able to see the video and see the pain in Shayden’s eyes, I realized that these people were just good-hearted, literal walking angels who wanted to do something good for a boy they saw in pain,” she told the outlet.Putting the Money to Good UsePhoto by Mikhail NilovAs touched as Krishna was, she knew there were other families and kids out there who needed the money more than her son did. So she asked the couple to turn the fundraiser off, but not before it reached nearly $40,000.“After I and Shayden talked about it, we agreed to donate some of that,” Krishna added, explaining the funds would go towards tornado victims and to the war in Ukraine.Meanwhile, others have responded in really sweet ways. Whataburger’s official account offered to send Shayden and his new friends to get something to eat on them. Howie Mandel reached out. Jake Paul reached out and is interested in having Shayden catch a fight and do a meet-and-greet. Many random people have offered to help send him to Disney, and even more reached out with offers to help him forge new friendships through camps, classes, and sports.For Brennan, the entire experience was a lesson in compassion and understanding.“Easily, I can say off top don’t ever judge anybody by how they look, how they talk, how they act, because you never know what somebody is going through, you never know the struggles that are going on within themselves, at home, so just be kind to everybody and be aware of the situation,” he said.Everyone Can Make a DifferenceThe biggest takeaway for Angell was how it only took a couple of people to make a big difference in one little boy’s life. “We are just two normal people in Amarillo, Texas, so just one person having the courage to step out and ask for friends leads to another person having the courage to step out and ask and spread awareness on bullying, so it’s just been a great chain reaction of amazing things happening,” she said.It’s proof that if you want to make a difference, all you need is yourself. By being brave and speaking up, you can inspire many others with your words and resilience.If you see something wrong, don’t be afraid to step in for what is right. If the situation seems dangerous, call for help. And most importantly, remember that one person can make a difference by listening, helping others, and using their skills for good.Brennan and Angell did exactly that when one little boy came knocking, and they inspired a nation as a result.More from Goalcast:Teen Finds Out His Classmates Are Bullying His Best Friend for His Old Shoes – So He Saves Up $135 and Does ThisGrocery Store Worker Completely Changes This Lonely Widower’s Christmas After She Invited Him to DinnerDesperate Mom Puts Out Ad to Hire Friends For Lonely Son With Down Syndrome — The Response is Shocking
