A viral video showing the impact of bullying has resulted in an outpouring of support for a young boy in Australia.
Quaden Bayles, 9, lives with dwarfism and has been bullied at school.
On Tuesday, his mother posted a video of him sobbing, saying he wanted to kill himself, which his mother says he has attempted in the past.
The clip has been viewed millions of times, triggering a global outpouring of support, including from actor Hugh Jackman.
Comedian Brad Williams, who also lives with dwarfism, set up a GoFundMe page hoping to raise $10,000 to send Bayles and his mother to Disneyland in California. As of Friday morning, it had raised over $425,000.
I’ve set up a GoFundMe to send brave Quaden and his mother to Disneyland. Let’s show a bullied kid that he is loved! https://t.co/vGLHQXzO0K
— Brad Williams (@funnybrad) February 20, 2020
The viral video has also put a spotlight on dwarfism around the globe.
“I would love to see Jacksonville be the very first city to actually have its own dedicated hospital for those with every type of dwarfism,” said David Breshears.
Three years ago, Breshears created Little People of the World, an organization based in Jacksonville to serve as a support system for those living with dwarfism, including 30 to 40 people in Northeast Florida, including him and his children.
Breshears said he hopes to help educate the public through hosting a national dwarfism convention in Jacksonville in 2022.
“We want to show what they do, what their lives are like, what they’re having to go through and find new solutions,” Breshears said.
That’s something Quaden’s mother also desperately wants.
“I want people to know how this is hurting us as a family,” she said. “I want people to educate their children.”