A Brisbane mum was pushed to breaking point after witnessing a bullying episode when picking her son, Quaden, up from school. She wants to stop bullying in school and in the public.
The 9-year-old is diagnosed with achondroplasia—the most common form of dwarfism.
Turns out that a new student who is unaware of Quaden’s condition had been making fun of him.
And this is just one of the countless bullying incidents Quaden face on a daily basis, whether in school or in public, simply just being “different”.
In confronting the bullying issue, his mum, Yarraka Bayles, took to Facebook on Wednesday to post a video that has now gone viral, with over 18 million views as of writing.
The mum who is an advocate for indigenous issues and dwarfism wants to let people know —parents, educators, teachers—the effect that bullying has.
She even called the principal in attempts to stop bullying in school.
Photo: Screengrab from Yarraka Bayles / Facebook
In the 5-minute video, Quaden’s head hangs low and he is clearly distraught while sobbing.
Breaking down, he made threats to end his life.
“Get me out right now. I can stab myself in the heart. You watch me,” said Quaden.
Pointing to his mum, he added: “Even you don’t care, when I’m looking at you.”
“You don’t even do anything. Everything’s gone.”
Quaden went on with his death threats that was simply heartbreaking for a mum to hear of her own child.
“Called me the dumbest kid in the class. I just wanna die right now.”
“I just wanna bang my head into a glass.”
“I want someone to kill me, and stab me.”
All of this, recorded on video because Yarraka is “sick of the bullying” that happens “every single day that he attends school or is in public”.
She had also spoken up in the same video as she shares her family experience on Quaden’s bullying episodes.
“This is the impact bullying has on a 9 year old kid that just wants to go to school, get an education, and have fun but every single freaking day something happens. Another episode, another bullying, another taunt, another name-calling.”
Quaden’s mum had enough and she wants to stop bullying in school and in public. | Photo: Screengrab from Yarraka Bayles / Facebook
This is not the first time that Quaden had threatened or tried to take his own life.
According to Yarraka as said to Quest Community News in 2019 , she had walked into Quaden attempting to kill himself at just six years old.
There is a lot that the public does not see when it comes to the impact of bullying.
“I wish i could record everything that, every instant when we’re in public with hidden camera so the public could see,” said Yarraka.
But enough is enough. In face of a “very severely suicidal child”, the mum had chosen to share this private side of the family to urge for a change.
“This is the side I chose not to share – this is private but we can’t do it anymore. I want people to know how much it is hurting us as a family. I’ve got to constantly keep my eye on him. I feel like I’m failing as a parent.”
Yarraka and Quaden. | Photo: Yarraka Bayles / Facebook
By sharing her experience, she urge parents to educate their children, families and friends.
The devastated mum went on to tearfully beg other families for advice about how to raise further disability and bullying awareness within schools so that these kinds of ‘behaviour’ would not happen again.
“Because all is takes is one more instant, and you wonder why kids are killing themselves,” said Yarraka.
“I just want people to know, and see the impact, because this could be your child – or your child could be the bully that pushes a kid over the edge.”
“Let us all take the opportunity to show little Quaden how much the world cares.”
There is also a Go Fund Me Page created in hopes to fly Quaden and his mother to America to experience Disneyland, and also to let Quaden know that he is “a wonderful human being who deserves joy”.
To help fund this initiative, you may visit here.
You may view the full video here:
Source: Yarraka Bayles / Facebook, Chatri Sityodtong / Facebook
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