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Indigenous All Stars reach out to bullied nine-year-old

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339

No paywall so click the link. Tried to paste the article but it went tits up, sorry.

I think this is both heart breaking and heart warming.

A 9 year old wanting to plunge a knife in their heart is almost vomit inducing levels of f**ked up sad.

@gUt brought it up in a caved thread but I think it deserves some recognition in the main board.

Well done to our players to rally for this little bloke and show him some great support. Well done to his mum for making this shit known and not just watching her kid suffer while some f**kwits "look into the matter".

Hope Quaden has the time of his life and sees his bullies for the f**ked up useless minority they are and turns up to school Monday with a smile, his signed jersey and everyone wanting to be his mate while his bullies are outcast.
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
Kids can be cruel, he needs some big mates to look after him.

He's got plenty of big mates; an entire Indigenous NRL All Stars side, and I'd reckon every other NRL player. I'm no one and I'd have his back.

What he needs merkins to stop picking on him.
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,923
An example of the good our code, and in particular this match, can do.
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,356
Ive seen the video, it breaks my heart. What is going on with the world?

I dont have any kids, but I tell my nieces and nephews not to make fun or bully other kids. Why dont these parents and teaches educate the kids properly?

I'm so glad at times like these, our game gets behind it and turns it into a positive. The players do so much on the field but off the field they work so hard as well to make everyone make feel good.

Good on the boys, I'm sure Quaden will never forget this moment to lead out his heroes.

Thats what Rugby Leagues all about.
 

hineyrulz

Post Whore
Messages
151,034
Gee that video was tough to watch, great to see the positives of what our game can do for the community.


Hope you have to time of your life champion!!
 

mongoose

Coach
Messages
11,711
Gee that video was tough to watch, great to see the positives of what our game can do for the community.


Hope you have to time of your life champion!!

it must have been damn tough for the ABC to write an article giving NRL players credit...
 

davi

Juniors
Messages
1,933
Well done to the Indigenous All Stars. I can't imagine the obstacles this young fella experiences every day born with achondroplasia dwarfism. I know our game can get into the headlines for the wrong reasons, but it can also touch the lives of people and make a difference as well.

"IN a heartwarming gesture, a victim of bullying that shocked Australia has been invited to lead the Indigenous side onto the field in Saturday night’s All Stars game.

Quaden Bayles, just nine years old, was filmed by his distraught mother tearfully warning he wanted to commit suicide.

All Stars players saw the heartbreaking vision on Facebook and immediately invited Quaden – a South Sydney supporter – to lead their side out against the Maori All Stars.

“We want to give him some joy and happiness,” Indigenous All Stars coach Laurie Daley told The Daily Telegraph.

The Queensland boy – born with achondroplasia dwarfism – has previously been photographed with stars Latrell Mitchell and James Roberts.

Indigenous players involved in a WhatsApp group spoke about Quaden’s plight on Thursday morning before he was asked to lead the side out and enter the dressing rooms before and after the match at Cbus Super Stadium.

Mitchell sent Bayles a message in a video post.

“Hey Quaden. How’re you going Cuz?” Mitchell said.

“We just want to wish you all the best brother.


“We know you’re going through a hard time right now. But the boys are here and we’ve got your back. We’re here to support you bud.

“We just want to make sure that you’re doing alright. And make sure that (you know) your mum’s on your side and we’re on your side. Just make sure you’re just thinking the right things bud.

“Cos we want you around and we want you to lead us out on the weekend.

“It’s going to mean more to us than it will to you, bud. Just make sure you’re looking after yourself and hopefully we’re going to see you in the next couple of days.”

It is understood South Sydney’s Cody Walker will bring Quaden into camp on Friday and again on Saturday. Quaden will walk onto the field holding the hand of Indigenous skipper Joel Thompson.

“The boys feel very strongly about stopping bullying,” said Daley. “Hopefully we can give him an experience where he can forget about what happened to him.

“We want to give him some joy and happiness and make him feel special. No-one likes bullies and for someone to do it to this young kid is just awful. It would be fantastic if we can give him some joy in his life.

“I have seen the video. It was distressing. We spoke about it this morning as a group.”

Comedian Rob Shehadie shared the video, which was viewed nearly four million times. It prompted Maoris and Parramatta star Brad Takairangi to post: “Love that the Indigenous boys have reached out to the family and he will be leading them out on Saturday night at the All Stars.

“(I) will be sure to go find him and show some love as well.”’

NRL senior manager, Indigenous strategy, Mark deWeerd added: “The boys are keen for Quaden to be around the team on game day.

“We are just working through whether we can make that happen. They are quite open to what that is. The players would like to give him a positive experience.”

Thousands of upset Australians expressed anger and offered support to Quaden through social media.

Quaden’s mum Yarraka Bayles captured the moment her son was distraught at being bullied at school with her son threatening to take his life on the video.

Still dressed in uniform from his Brisbane primary school, Quaden was “in hysterics”, according to Yarraka.

On the video, Yarraka said: “I’ve just picked my son up from school, witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal, and I want people to know – parents, educators, teachers – this is the effect that bullying has,”

“This is the impact that bullying has on a nine-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.

“I’ve got a son that is suicidal almost every single day. Every time there is a triggering – anything that happens at school or while we’re in public, which is almost every time we’re in public.”

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...s/news-story/c3118b7a4b3c28af094d12f18b9177d8
 

gUt

Coach
Messages
16,923
Ive seen the video, it breaks my heart. What is going on with the world?

I dont have any kids, but I tell my nieces and nephews not to make fun or bully other kids. Why dont these parents and teaches educate the kids properly?

In my opinion (and this is what I taught my girls) bullying is nearly always learned behavior. Think about what the home life of the typical bully must be like. A child raised in a loving environment is surely less likely to want to inflict torment on others (although I do believe some people are born psychopaths/narcissists/sociopaths) .

Misplaced sympathy? Maybe. But my point to the girls is if someone is being a merkin like that you can take some comfort knowing you probably have a much better life than they do.
 

nöyd

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
9,809
In my opinion (and this is what I taught my girls) bullying is nearly always learned behavior. Think about what the home life of the typical bully must be like. A child raised in a loving environment is surely less likely to want to inflict torment on others (although I do believe some people are born psychopaths/narcissists/sociopaths) .

Misplaced sympathy? Maybe. But my point to the girls is if someone is being a merkin like that you can take some comfort knowing you probably have a much better life than they do.
ding ding ding winner
 

AJB1102

First Grade
Messages
6,339
I believe violence can be a solution. If that little bloke gave his bullies a flogging they'd f**k off quick smart.
 

juro

Bench
Messages
3,810
Someone needs to get Peter Dinklage connected with him. Let him see that being short doesn't stop you having a brilliant future.
 
Messages
11,311
Poor kid , that was a tough watch .... excellent to see so many trying to make him feel special .. great stuff from the all stars
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
67,139
Hopefully the school, parents and in particular the kids bullying also make changes. If it isn’t this kid they’re bullying it will be someone else unless the school and parents get on top of it.

So lovely to see people, rallying around Quaden, well done to his mum for being brave enough to post what must be horrendous for her to see so others can learn the impacts this has.

hated bullies at school and often got stuck in if I saw it happening, took a few beatings but handed a few out myself as well. often found if I could get the lead bully away from his mates he was weak as pss.
 
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