I know I joke around on here and on twitter quite a bit but for once I want to get something serious out to you.
Dillon is a real 12 year old boy who's mum got in touch with me. She told me his story and it broke my heart. I want to share it with you because I believe we can all do our part to help.
Dillon has a severe stutter and has had all his life. He gets teased and bullied in school. Even adults sometimes don't give him the time of day. At one point things seamed so hopeless for Dillon that he tried to take his own life.
When his 4 year old sister had to have an operation, the hospital were doing a fundraiser. Dillon wanted to help and while going around their neighborhood, three adults shut the door in his face before he even managed to get out what he wanted. One local doctor diagnosed him with mental retardation.
The school Dillon goes to has one iPad and they have lent that out to him so he is able to communicate better. Unfortunately there is one more kid at the school that stutters so now Dillon is trying to save up money to buy an iPad so they can each have one. With this iPad Dillon has managed to make honor roll! So much for mental retardation...
He is also a great little writer. Wrote the poems that you will see below.
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-----
Dear Bully,
Beacause I wear glasses, you call me four eyes and think your friendship I should not seek.
Because I stutter, you think I should be quiet and not speak.
Because I am too fat, too short, too thin, too tall, you say harsh things and think I have no feelings at all.
Dear Bully,
Because you don't like the color of my skin, or the fact that I may be gay, degrading words are all you can say.
Because my clothes are not brand name, you laugh, don't you know in God's eyes we are all the same?
Dear Bully,
Because of you, at night I cry, I think I am worthless and deserve to die. Will I put the rope around my neck and hang or a gun to my head and end it with a bang?
You teased me, hit me, kicked me. Don't you know that to my mommy I was her heart and soul? Because of you, I am now six feet under in a hole.
Dear Bully,
Because of you, now I am dead, all because of those cruel words you said.
Forever my blood is on your hands. Because of your cruel words that cause harm, tonight, many mothers can not hold their children in their arms.
------
------
Every day I wake up, bow my head to pray, Dear God, help this kid make it through another day. I grab my books, kiss my mom and get on the bus. I dread that ride like every kid that's bullied does. Walk through the doors of school, enter into a world so cruel.
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, all alone, no buddy I can
call, Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
At lunch I sit alone. Kids talk about their plans for the weekend, Dear God, what I wouldn't give for one true friend. Kids go by, call me names. In gym no one picks me for their partner in the games. On the playground, I get punched in the face. Dear God, how much can one kid really take?
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, all alone, no buddy I can call. Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
Will I ever date a girl or play football? Will I ever go to a school dance? You would see I"m not so bad if you give me half a chance. A kid that's not perfect is what they saw, every time I walk through that school hall.
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, no buddy I can call, Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
Force a smile on my face, walk into my house, into my mom's embrace. Tell her my day was okay, can't let her know how her big guy felt so small walking through my school hall.
-----
-----
I was very lucky not to be teased growing up and hearing this story breaks my heart. That kids can be very cruel we all know. That's why we all worked so hard to fit in when we were growing up. We didn't want to stick out of the crowd. But how adults can be so cruel to a kid that is clearly struggling is beyond me.
Can we all just think twice before we totally dismiss another human being?
Dillon is a real 12 year old boy who's mum got in touch with me. She told me his story and it broke my heart. I want to share it with you because I believe we can all do our part to help.
Dillon has a severe stutter and has had all his life. He gets teased and bullied in school. Even adults sometimes don't give him the time of day. At one point things seamed so hopeless for Dillon that he tried to take his own life.
When his 4 year old sister had to have an operation, the hospital were doing a fundraiser. Dillon wanted to help and while going around their neighborhood, three adults shut the door in his face before he even managed to get out what he wanted. One local doctor diagnosed him with mental retardation.
The school Dillon goes to has one iPad and they have lent that out to him so he is able to communicate better. Unfortunately there is one more kid at the school that stutters so now Dillon is trying to save up money to buy an iPad so they can each have one. With this iPad Dillon has managed to make honor roll! So much for mental retardation...
He is also a great little writer. Wrote the poems that you will see below.
-----
-----
Dear Bully,
Beacause I wear glasses, you call me four eyes and think your friendship I should not seek.
Because I stutter, you think I should be quiet and not speak.
Because I am too fat, too short, too thin, too tall, you say harsh things and think I have no feelings at all.
Dear Bully,
Because you don't like the color of my skin, or the fact that I may be gay, degrading words are all you can say.
Because my clothes are not brand name, you laugh, don't you know in God's eyes we are all the same?
Dear Bully,
Because of you, at night I cry, I think I am worthless and deserve to die. Will I put the rope around my neck and hang or a gun to my head and end it with a bang?
You teased me, hit me, kicked me. Don't you know that to my mommy I was her heart and soul? Because of you, I am now six feet under in a hole.
Dear Bully,
Because of you, now I am dead, all because of those cruel words you said.
Forever my blood is on your hands. Because of your cruel words that cause harm, tonight, many mothers can not hold their children in their arms.
------
------
Every day I wake up, bow my head to pray, Dear God, help this kid make it through another day. I grab my books, kiss my mom and get on the bus. I dread that ride like every kid that's bullied does. Walk through the doors of school, enter into a world so cruel.
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, all alone, no buddy I can
call, Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
At lunch I sit alone. Kids talk about their plans for the weekend, Dear God, what I wouldn't give for one true friend. Kids go by, call me names. In gym no one picks me for their partner in the games. On the playground, I get punched in the face. Dear God, how much can one kid really take?
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, all alone, no buddy I can call. Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
Will I ever date a girl or play football? Will I ever go to a school dance? You would see I"m not so bad if you give me half a chance. A kid that's not perfect is what they saw, every time I walk through that school hall.
Head held down, too afraid to make a sound. No friend to walk with, no buddy I can call, Dear God, will you walk with me through my school hall.
Force a smile on my face, walk into my house, into my mom's embrace. Tell her my day was okay, can't let her know how her big guy felt so small walking through my school hall.
-----
-----
I was very lucky not to be teased growing up and hearing this story breaks my heart. That kids can be very cruel we all know. That's why we all worked so hard to fit in when we were growing up. We didn't want to stick out of the crowd. But how adults can be so cruel to a kid that is clearly struggling is beyond me.
Can we all just think twice before we totally dismiss another human being?
I'm an old guy but I can still recall the kids who had some sort of issue in school/life. I know for a fact I didn't bully anyone, but I also don't remember going out of my way to befriend any of these kids. It's something I regret to this day. Great post Sophie.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sophie.
ReplyDeleteI was bullied, briefly, (my first year in high school), but a kid from my Latin class (no, really) befriended me, got me interested in judo, and as I gained self-confidence I realized I need never be a victim again.
I might never have surpassed my fears if Mark hadn't been willing to support a victim of bullying, and my support for the underdogs in life took solid root that year.
Wow, this is something I will share with my children as they get older. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteBeen there done that. That's why I today dedicate my life to kids who stutter and talk about stuttering wherever and whenever I can. And that's why Im so immensely proud of you, Sophie, for being our voice. I wish this kid could come to the NSA and I wish for his school to watch and work with the movie Bully. Bullying and stuttering nearly killed me and I have friends who did succeed... An IPad will help this kid to speak. But the bullies will brake it. Let's all give stuttering a voice. A strong and positive one. And let's give this kid a voice. Because what he is saying is worth repeating!
ReplyDeleteAnita Blom, proud stutterer
I was the kid that was bullied! All I ever wanted was to fit in, I was different because God made me that way....
ReplyDeleteI didn't feel like I fit in until God came down and gave me the gift of faith! Praise him that he gives us brother and sisters, friends and confidants in his name...
I pray that as a victim or bully you would learn to know the love that Christ has for you and the love he wants you to share with everybody:)
What an amazing boy Dillon is, striking poetry. I hope he makes it to a stage where he can always walk tall & hold his head up, all day, everyday. This is the most striking thing I have noticed about you & before I knew of your stutter. I first saw you play many years ago on the Kings at Gleneagles in Scotland & have followed you since. You have the same depth of feeling here in Scotland as you do in Ireland...its a celtic thing maybe...we love a proud fighter who knows how to win or loose bravely & with dignity & celebrate well whatever the outcome! All the best to you & Dillon for happiness & success. Hope to see you in Scotland soon.
ReplyDeleteSal in Edinburgh
Sophie - thanks for sharing this story with us. Deeply appreciate your big heart.
ReplyDeleteTo Dillon: I am so sorry for what you have been through and that anyone ever sees you for less than the beautiful person you clearly are. No one should have to endure that cruelty. My heart aches for yours. Your writing is so emotionally honest it made me cry. You are a skilled poet, not many can write like that! I am a poet too and I know how hard it is to really write from that deep place of connection. I know what it feels like when I read it - and this is it. What a voice you have to share with the world. Thanks for allowing Sophie to share your story and your poems with us. I hope for you that you never let the world disconnect you from that inner beauty and that the inner and outer circumstances become easier and easier.
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