The story of Quaden Bayles has touched the hearts of the Australian population.
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When Yarraka Bayles picked up her 9-year-old son Quaden from school last Wednesday, she saw the sheer pain her son was in after being bullied for his dwarfism. Witnessing his suffering led the mom from Brisbane to share her son’s desperate story on social media in a video that has now been viewed over 10 million times. The outpouring of love and support has been incredible, as reported in the Daily Mail.
On the journey home, Quaden begged his mom, “Give me a rope, I want to kill myself.” The child who has the most common type of dwarfism, called achondroplasia, continued with: “I just want to stab myself in the heart … I want someone to kill me.”
As Quaden’s mom explained in the video, she wanted everybody to see the devastating effects bullying has on people. “So can you please educate your children, your families, your friends because all it takes is one more instance … and you wonder why kids are killing themselves.”
In an interview with Courier-Mail, Bayles explained how her son first attempted suicide three years and has made other attempts since. Although she explained to her son the finality of such an action, he thought he would end up in heaven with his grandfather and baby brother who was stillborn.
The heartbreaking video shocked many in to reaching out to offer help, friendship, as well as disgust at bullying. One dad-of-two, Jarrod Urquhart, suggested his two young children become pen pals with Quaden; who might appreciate receiving a letter, especially if he’d had a rough day.
The Indigenous All Stars NRL team have also reached out to the traumatized youngster by asking him to walk on to the pitch with them during their next game. In a video made for Quaden they said: “Just wanted to wish you all the best brother, we know you’re going through a hard time right now but the boys are here. We’ve got your back, we’re here to support you bud. We just want to make sure you’re doing alright.”
The post on Facebook has garnered much support from people around the world, with messages encouraging parents to teach their kids some of life’s most valuable lessons: “It is our responsibility as parents in raising our children to be kind, respectful and compassionate to one another regardless of appearance, gender, religion, race and everything else that makes us different,’ one parented commented on the post.
In a happy update of the story, the Daily Mail has further reported that after stand-up comedian Brad Williams, who also has dwarfism, set up a GoFundMe page, he has managed to raise over $200,000 so that Quaden can go to Disneyland. He stated: “‘I’m setting up this GoFundMe to let Quaden know that bullying will not be tolerated, and that he is a wonderful human being who deserves joy.”
Williams is hoping that his efforts will do more than just raise money, but show those who are bullied that they are worthy of receiving the good that the world has to offer.
The young boy was able to share that he has gone from experiencing “the worst day of his life to the best day of his life.”
In an interview with the Australian TV channel, NITV, Quaden encouraged others to find strength. “If you get bullied, just stand up for yourself and don’t listen to what they say.”
Of course, this isn’t easy for most kids, so in a world where bullying takes many forms, the tragic story of young Quaden will hopefully send a powerful message to all who hear it.
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