*The following article contains discussion of suicide/self-harm.
Despite the many programs which have tried to combat it, bullying continues to be the root of many young people's struggles throughout the world.
In Australia, 9-year-old Quaden Bayles, who was born achondroplasia, which causes dwarfism, has been bullied so much at his school that he's made attempts on his own life.
After school one day, Quaden's mother couldn't think of what else to do, so she recorded the anguish he felt as he got into the car.
Through tears, Quaden tells his mother:
"I wish I could stab myself in my heart. I want someone to kill me."
Quaden's mother Yarraka, also in tears, explains in the video why she's sharing the emotional moment:
"I want people to know, this is the effect bullying has. This is what bullying does. All it takes is one more instant, and you wonder why kids are killing themselves. I want people to know how much this is hurting us as a family … I've got to constantly keep my eye on him because of the suicide attempts."
The video of Quaden quickly went viral, being shared and commented on thousands of times by people all over the internet.
Before long, celebrities everywhere were sounding off, showing Quaden their support.
That includes many of the young man's favorite rugby players.
An American comedian, Brad Williams, even started a GoFundMe to bring Quaden and his mom to Disneyland.
As of the writing of this article, the GoFundMe had raised over $300,000 and included free flights to California.
People can always make a difference when they band together.
Other celebrities like Hugh Jackman and cheerleader Gabi Butler also offered Quaden their support.
Hopefully Quaden's spirits are a bit lifted by the many messages of support which flooded his inbox.
Quaden has now become a minor online celebrity.
Stay strong, Quaden, we're all rooting for you!
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
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