Bullied Aussie boy to donate $663k to charity

SYDNEY • An Australian boy with dwarfism whose distress from bullying became a viral video will donate hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to charity rather than go to Disneyland.

The clip of nine-year-old Quaden Bayles shows him crying and repeatedly saying he wanted to die after being bullied at school, sparking an outpouring of support from around the world.

The video was watched millions of times and prompted US comedian Brad Williams to start a GoFundMe page that eventually raised almost US$475,000 (S$663,000).

Although it was meant to send Quaden and his mum to Disneyland, his aunt told Australia's NITV News the money would go to various charities instead.

"What kid wouldn't want to go to Disneyland, especially if you have lived Quaden's life. To escape to anywhere that is fun that doesn't remind him of his day-to-day challenges," she was quoted as saying. "But my sister said, 'You know what, let's get back to the real issue'. This little fella has been bullied. How many suicides, black or white, in our society have happened due to bullying.

"We want the money to go to community organisations that really need it. They know what the money should be spent on..."

Australian actor Hugh Jackman and National Basketball Association player Enes Kanter were among the hundreds of thousands posting support for Quaden.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 28, 2020, with the headline Bullied Aussie boy to donate $663k to charity. Subscribe