Quaden Bayles' mother has shared another video of her son, taken four years ago, listing all the names he "hates" to be called by his tormentors. Video / Yarraka Bayles
WARNING: Distressing content included
A mum has filmed a heartbreaking message to the children bullying her son.
Yarraka Bayles, who has long been an advocate for indigenous issues and dwarfism, shared the video of her son Quaden to her Facebook on Wednesday, after picking him up from school "in hysterics".
Nine-year-old Quaden was diagnosed with achondroplasia – the most common form of dwarfism – just three days after he was born, and has long suffered at the hands of bullies and online trolls.
"I've just picked my son up from school, witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal, and I want people to know – parents, educators, teachers – this is the effect that bullying has," Bayles, from Brisbane, said in the video, which has been viewed 2.5 million times and shared by more than 65,000 people.
In tears, Quaden says, "Give me a knife – I want to kill myself", adding, "I just want to die right now".
"This is the impact that bullying has on a 9-year-old kid that just wants to go to school, get an education and have fun," Bayles said. "But every single freaking day, something happens. Another episode, another bullying, another taunt, another name-calling."
She then tearfully asks if any parents or families have advice for how to further raise awareness and education within schools so that "this doesn't happen".
"I've got some good advice – but I need more because this is the effect of bullying, this is what it's doing. And I want people to know how much it is hurting us as a family, I want people to educate their children.
"I've got a son that is suicidal almost every single day. Every time there is a triggering – anything that happens at school or while we're in public, which is almost every time we're in public."
While she said the family tried to be as strong and positive as possible and "only share the highlights", Bayles said that she constantly had to keep an eye on Quaden as a result of suicide attempts.
Bayles told Quest Community News in 2019 that she first walked in on her son trying to take his own life when he was just 6 years old, which is when he began saying that he wished he was dead.
"This is the impact that bullying has." Photo / Facebook
Every time that there was a new child at school unaware of Quaden's condition, bullying usually resulted, she explained, with students calling him names and "obviously pointing out his difference".
"So we now we have a very severely suicidal child, who is sick of the bullying that it is every single day that he attends school or is in public, and we're sick of it," Bayles said.
"I just want people to know, and see the impact, because this could be your child or your child could be the bully that pushes a kid over the edge. And God forbid we lose another child to suicide because of the bullying."
Quaden Bayles with NRL star Latrell Mitchell. Photo / Facebook
Bayles said that while she used to tell her son to "just ignore it", from now on every time she was bullied she would be sharing a similar video, so that "hopefully we can make some changes, so that this doesn't happen to another family and hopefully we don't lose another young, innocent life to bullying".
The NRL Indigenous All Stars have reached out to Quaden Bayles, inviting him to lead them out at Saturday night's match.
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:
• LIFELINE 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7) • SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) • YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 • NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7) • KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7) • WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm) • DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
