Boy Tells Parents He Doesn't Want to Go Back to School, School Guidance Tell Them He'll Be Fine

When a 7th grader faced relentless bullying, his self-worth and confidence disappeared. The emotional ordeal had dire consequences, and his mother shared the story to alert others about the pressing issue.

Children are at risk of bullying every day, and many of them hide the pain until they are at their breaking point. Parents and school staff must be vigilant, but they often miss or ignore the signs.

A mother was worried about her son's sudden behavior change, and she tried her best to help him. However, she didn't get enough support from guidance counselors and staff, and her son suffered as a result.

Read the sweet boy's heartbreaking story and discover why it is essential to report bullies and bring an end to the intimidation and torment that is prevalent on playgrounds and in schools worldwide.

PROTECTING CHILDREN IS PIVOTAL

"

, it's just awful,"

a heavy-hearted father from New York.

Keith O'Brien's son, Liam, was a victim of severe bullying, and together with his wife, Deirdre, they wanted to raise awareness so other families wouldn't have to walk the same painful journey as them.

EXTREME CHANGES IN THEIR SON'S BEHAVIOR

In 2017, Keith enjoyed watching his son grow into a happy youngster who played soccer, loved school, and liked socializing with his friends. However, the once cheerful boy became more gloomy with each passing day.

Eventually, Liam told his parents he wanted to skip school and stop playing soccer. The couple was concerned and asked him what was wrong, but he said he was "fine."

His mother explained:

"Liam gave me back his iPhone. He said, 'Too much drama Mom.' He hung out at home with us. I was happy but I kept asking if anything happened and was everything ok? He said he was fine."

HE STOPPED EATING

One of the clear signs that Liam was anything but "fine" was his lack of appetite. The youngster was no longer interested in food, and his parents noticed a massive drop in his weight.

They took him to a pediatrician who was immediately concerned about his heart rate. The doctor admitted him to the hospital for a health condition.

The father noted:

"I also noticed that he used to have a tremendous appetite, he would eat two breakfasts in the morning. Then all of a sudden he stopped eating. [We] knew something was going on."

THE SCHOOL PROMISED TO LOOK OUT FOR HIM

The parents reached out to Liam's school to alert them about their son's behavior changes. They believed the staff would look out for their precious boy, but things didn't get better.

Keith stated that they contacted the school's guidance counselor and asked them to keep an eye on Liam. They purportedly reassured the couple and told them that he was doing fine.

However, when Liam returned home after school one day, he had worrying marks on his face that confirmed Keith and Deirdre's worst fears.

HE FINALLY OPENED UP

Liam could no longer hide the bullying, and his mother was in tears as she begged him to open up about his experiences at school.

Deirdre said:

"He finally couldn't hold it in anymore. He was told he was weird, he was fat, his freckles were weird, his eyebrows were weird."

Liam revealed that the harsh bullying happened every day, so he stopped playing soccer, eating, and wanting to go to school.

WE STAND WITH LIAM

The mother was devastated when she learned about her son's experiences, and she was disappointed in the school for their failure to protect Liam.

While the institution encouraged families to wear orange shirts to show their disapproval of bullying, Deirdre felt they didn't do much to help the victims. She shared her son's story online, and thousands of people rallied to support Liam.

They used the hashtag #WeStandWithLiam to share messages, and Deirdre was happy to have raised awareness. Sadly, her son had already endured so much bullying that it resulted in five weeks of hospitalization.

HE WAS STILL RECOVERING

"[Liam] has good days and bad days. We're learning ourselves what he's gone through," shared an anguished Keith. The father was hopeful that his son would make a complete recovery in time.

The family was also grateful for the overwhelming support from the online community and felt encouraged because they realized there were still "good people out there."

Click here for another story about a boy who was bullied but managed to turn it into something good, thanks to his inspiring school principal.