In September 2001 a premature baby boy was born in North Carolina. His name was Michael and he only weighed 1 pound 14 ounces. Things didn’t look good for him.
Still, he made it out of the NICU- he was such a brave baby. Unfortunately, the boy grew up blind, and his condition sometimes made his life harder than it should.
One of the worst things that often happens to people with disabilities or to people that are just different in any way is bullying.
Children and teens are most of the time harsh towards their peers who are perceived as vulnerable. And, sadly, some of Michael’s classmates did perceive him as such.
Thankfully, Michael was not alone in this. His family supported him and tried to empower him as much as they could, but some people decided to take the whole thing one step further.
The movement Bikers Against Bullies started in Montana in 2012, when a group of bikers came together to promote a program to raise awareness of bullying. The program aims at educating children through various activities and it welcomes people of all backgrounds.
In September 2018, BAB USA organized a surprise for young Michael, who was then turning 17.
A group of bikers, holding a tray with 12 colorful cupcakes and a candle, sang the happy birthday song to the teen, who didn’t expect such a surprise.
Only days before the event, it is said that a video emerged that showed Michael being bullied at South Stokes High School.
The video attracted many views and, eventually, it reached Bikers Against Bullies, who decided to do something about it.
“We don’t tolerate bullying whatsoever,” said Karl Kress, one of the motorcyclists. “Be a friend. Be a biker, not a bully.”
The blind teen’s family was left speechless by the bikers’ act of empowerment.
The teen’s uncle, Donnie Morton, told WGHP: “I felt shocked. It was very surprising that someone could treat another child like that.”
Michael’s mother, Kelly, added:
“I am without words and that doesn’t happen very often.”
The bikers, after wishing Michael a happy birthday, hopped on their motorcycles and escorted the teen to school, where his classmates and teachers were waiting for him.
Hopefully, after the event, Michael’s bullies were discouraged to repeat past, abusive behavior.
Although Michael was lucky enough to have such a strong support group by his side, there are thousands of children who get bullied by their peers nationwide and worldwide.
Statistics show that 1 out of 5 students report bullying, while up to 6% reported being physically bullied.
On the positive side, about half of the students notified an adult about being bullied and it seems that prevention programs organized in the school community decreased bullying by up to 25%.
School programs, along with initiatives like BAB USA, help eliminate similar phenomena and empower children and teens like Michael.
Head over to the video below to see the bikers in action!
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