Two teens surprise classmate who was bullied his 'entire life' with new clothes and shoes in heartwarming gesture
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: A teenager who had been bullied his "entire life" was in for a surprise when two of his classmates, gifted him new clothes, new shoes and more, in a video of the heartwarming incident going viral.
Michael Todd, a freshman at the MLK College Preparatory School in Memphis, had a rough first three weeks in his new school, according to Fox13. He had been bullied for the entirety of the short time he was there, with other students making fun of how he wore the same clothes every day.
It wasn't a new experience for Michael, however. He had been bullied practically his whole life because he hailed from a poor family who often could not afford what seemed to others like bare necessities.
"I've been bullied my entire life," he told Fox13. "I really don't have clothes at home. My mom can't buy clothes for me because I'm growing too fast."
When Kristopher Graham, a football player at the school, saw how Michael was being relentlessly bullied and laughed at, he knew he had to do something. He immediately went through his closet, grabbed lots of clothes, and texted his fellow football player Antwan Garrett for help.
"I got some brand-new shoes I can give him and a few items," Antwan revealed. After the pair put together their gift bag, they pulled Michael out of his third-period class on Monday, September 9, to surprise him.
"He wasn't smiling or anything, and I was like, 'I think this is going to make you smile'." Kristopher said. "We're in the same third period and I apologize for laughing at you, and I want to give you something to make it up."
"When I saw people laugh at him and bully him, I felt like I needed to do something," he added. In the now-viral video which has clocked over four million views, other students can be seen watching on as Kristopher and Antwan hand over the gifts to Michael, who seems overwhelmed by the gesture.
"It was awesome, the best day of my entire life basically," Michael said. "I was very happy. I was shocked completely. You guys are awesome."
"It was a weak moment for me," Antwan confessed. "I was crying." Kristopher added, "And then I cried at lunch when he said, ‘you two are the only ones to give me a gift'."
Social media was filled with those who praised the two young men for their incredible act of kindness. "Everything we need to know, we REALLY did learn in kindergarten; be kind. Bravo to these young men," one user wrote.
"Real men right there, to apologize for laughing and then doing something to help. Inspiring and challenging us all to be a positive light in others' lives!" another tweeted.