When the heartbroken mother of a bullied boy shared a video online highlighting the affects of his ongoing torment, it immediately went viral both in Australia and overseas.
Not only have NRL footy players rallied behind young Quaden Bayles, 9, but so too have other celebrities including Australian actor Hugh Jackman, UK TV host Piers Morgan and American comedian and actor Brad Williams, who started a GoFundMe page for the bully victim.
"Quaden — you've got a friend in me," Jackman posted on Twitter alongside a 20-second video saying "bullying is not okay, period, life is hard enough".
Quaden - you’ve got a friend in me. #BeKind @LokelaniHiga https://t.co/8dr3j2z8Sy pic.twitter.com/jyqtZYC953
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) February 20, 2020
"Quaden you are stronger than you know mate and no matter what, you have got a friend in me."
American comedian, Williams who like Quaden, was also born with achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism, said seeing the heartbreaking clip of Quaden in hysterics, crying and begging to "die", "stuck a nerve with him".
Williams' condition has played a huge role in his stand-up comedy and television roles.
"His mother taped him crying, saying he wanted a knife to kill himself, and put it on the internet to show people the effects of bullying. This story struck a nerve with me," Williams wrote in an Instagram post on Friday.
"So I started a GoFundMe to fly Quaden and his mother to America and send them to Disneyland. I set the goal at 10k, as of now we have 18.5k raised! I love all of you," he wrote.
Wow. This is heartbreaking. Poor little guy. Hope he gets all the support he needs & deserves. https://t.co/WVVkurPKXn
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 21, 2020
The fundraiser has now reached over $150,000. The money left will be donated to anti-bullying/anti-abuse charities with Williams adding, "this isn't just for Quaden, but for anyone who has been bullied in their lives".
"Let's show Quaden and others, that there is good in the world and they are worthy of it. I have been in touch directly with Quaden's mother. So I will have their information to book the flights."
Yarraka Bayles had posted the heartbreaking short clip of her son on Wednesday to raise awareness of the affects of bullying.
It shows the youngster sitting in the back seat of a car in tears after facing yet another day of bullying at school.
"Give me a knife – I want to kill myself," he says, "I just want to die right now."
The Indigenous #NRLAllStars are behind you Quaden! 👊🏽❤️ pic.twitter.com/52RLy8SrSd
— NRL (@NRL) February 20, 2020
Ms Bayles explains she had just picked Quaden up from school, had witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal, and wanted people to know – parents, educators, teachers — "this is the effect that bullying has".
"This is the impact that bullying has on a nine-year-old kid that just wants to go to school, get an education and have fun," Ms Bayles said in the video. "But every single freaking day, something happens. Another episode, another bullying, another taunt, another name-calling."
The Brisbane mum's post has since been viewed 10 million times and shared by more than 200,000 people.
Celebrities' support for Quaden
Journalist and TV personality Piers Morgan shared young Quaden's video, describing it as "heartbreaking".
"Poor little guy. Hope he gets all the support he needs & deserves," he wrote on Twitter, while American radio host Dan Bongino said seeing Quaden in such pain "broke him".
"I thought I was a generally tough guy. I'm not. This video broke me. I cannot fathom the pain this young man has been put through. God bless all of the people who reached out to help him and his family," Bongino said.
I thought I was a generally tough guy. I’m not. This video broke me.
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) February 20, 2020
I cannot fathom the pain this young man has been put through. God bless all of the people who reached out to help him and his family. https://t.co/LstTqE59OS
NRL star Latrell Mitchell and the indigenous All Stars have extended an invitation to Quaden to lead the team onto CBUS Stadium on Saturday night.
The indigenous All Stars posted a video message to the nine-year-old that has captured the world's heart, inviting him to walk out with the other players before the annual showdown between the indigenous All Stars and Maori All Stars on the Gold Coast.
The team, coached by rugby league legend Laurie Daley, reached out to Quaden after seeing the heartbreaking video.
Channel 9 on Thursday night reported Quaden and his mum have accepted the offer and will come into the team's camp on the Gold Coast.
Quaden will also walk out hand-in-hand with indigenous All Stars captain Joel Thompson when the team runs out onto the field on Saturday night.
Australian professional boxer Billy Dib has also showed support, offering free training sessions to Quaden.
Hey #QuadenBayles -you are awesome and you are loved. I was bullied a lot at school. There were days that I wanted to never go back and I wished I wasn’t who I was. But it got better. You’re a million times stronger than I was. The world is a million times better with you in it. pic.twitter.com/wicP0mt1Nx
— Charlie Pickering (@charliepick) February 21, 2020
"Seeing this absolutely broke my heart," Dib wrote in an Instagram post alongside the video of Quaden in tears.
"No child should ever wish for death. This is terrible. Schools should be running classes about bullying and how to stop it. How many lives need to be lost before something is done.
"I would love to get in touch with the Bayles family and offer Quaden some boxing lessons."
Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston also spoke about the situation on Friday morning. "It doesn't matter if you have children or not, to see these images is heartbreaking," Thurston told Nova 96.9 Fitzy & Wippa.
"I commend the mother for filming this and raising awareness of what bulling does. We had Dolly from the NT a couple of years ago who committed suicide and now we've got a nine year old who's talking about the same thing. I think parents need to step up and start educating their kids on the effects of bullying."
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youth services: (06) 3555 906
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• CASPER Suicide Prevention
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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