Bullying: Australian boxer Billy ‘The Kid’ Dib reaches out to Quaden Bayles after mother’s heartbreaking video goes viral
- The 34-year-old former world champion is among dozens of sports stars and celebrities to show support for the boy, who has dwarfism
- This week, Quaden’s mother posted a harrowing video in which the youngster said he wanted to kill himself after being bullied at school
Australia’s former world champion boxer Billy “The Kid” Dib knows what it’s like to be bullied, so he felt he had to reach out to nine-year-old Quaden Bayles when his story went viral over the past week.
Bayles was bullied at his school for his dwarfism and is shown on a heartbreaking video posted by his mother sobbing and saying: “Give me a knife, I want to kill myself.”
The 34-year-old Dib is one of many sports stars and celebrities – including “Wolverine” Hugh Jackman – who sent messages of support to Bayles and his mother. Dib spoke to the young body via Facetime on Friday.
“I was very upset when I saw the video and I couldn’t fathom that a young boy who is only nine years of age would feel like that,” Dib told the Post. “I felt I had to reach out. I told him I was looking forward to meeting him and he was really, really excited and happy. His mum was extremely happy.
“He has a condition and instead of people making life easier for him, they are making it more difficult. Growing up at school, I was heavily bullied, every day and that made me the man I am today. Some people are stronger than others. I didn’t take it very well and I was scared to go to school.
“But I managed to get through it and held myself together.”