Being a teenager is never an easy thing. You’re going through so many changes, and through it all, you are navigating your way through complex emotions and dealing with high school.
High school can be its own challenge, too. According to stopbullying.gov, 20 percent of all students ages 12 to 18 experienced bullying at school. During a time when life is changing so rapidly around you, that can be one of the hardest things for a teen to deal with.
But sometimes, though, it can bring about the best in others.
Being a new student is hard enough. But when Michael Todd started high school as a freshman it was only made harder by the bullies. Todd, who attends MLK prep school in Memphis, Tenn., only had one outfit he could wear to school. Other students quickly noticed and began a steady stream of bullying.
I really don’t have clothes at home,” Todd told KTVI “My mom can’t buy clothes for me because I’m growing too fast.”
The bullying didn’t go unnoticed by some students, though. Kristopher Graham, a football player at the school, realized the bullying was wrong and wanted to do something to change it.
“When I saw people laugh at him and bully him, I felt like I needed to do something,” Graham said. He texted his friend, Antwan Garrett, to see if he could help with an idea he had.
Photo from YouTube
Todd said he was taken out of his third period class the following day, and saw the two players by the lockers. Nervous, he said he froze when the two teens stopped him. What was said next, though, changed everything for the three young men.
“I want to apologize to you for laughing at you and I want to give you something to make it up,” Graham told Todd. The two teens then gave Todd a gift: bags full of shirts, shorts and shoes.
Todd said he couldn’t believe the kindness being offered by his classmates.
“I’ve been bullied my entire life. But getting the gift was “awesome,” he said to USA Today.
The best day of my entire life, basically.”
Video that was taken of the boys went viral, leading to millions of views. The kindness shown was noticed by Ellen DeGeneres, who invited the boys on her talk show. They were surprised by actor Will Smith, who gave each of the boys $10,000.
Garrett said he wanted to help Todd out because he knew what the teen was going through.
“We weren’t expecting the video to go viral. We just wanted to make a change,” Garrett said. “I know how it feels not to have nothin’. I don’t have much, but it made me feel better by seeing somebody else have. I haven’t had like the best of life. Everybody struggles.”
“My life has changed from sleeping in a house without no lights. With what is going on the outside affected me in school,” he said. “I didn’t want to be in school. I wanted to help Michael and make him happy and it made me happy.”
Watch below for a look at the heartwarming story of two boys who decided not to let bullying continue at their school.
Sources: Upworthy | USA Today | KTVI
