Kid attempts suicide after being bullied for being a brony; fandom responds · 4:18pm Feb 3rd, 2014
You may or may not have heard about this story. This kid is 11 years old and is a brony, but was bullied to no end by the other kids at his school just because he liked the show. He eventually tried to hang himself, and is now in the hospital in the ICU with possible brain damage.
Reading that article genuinely made me want to cry. Even now, with the kid in the hospital, people on the internet are still taking potshots at him. It's beyond disgusting, beyond the usual internet trolls and keyboard warriors. The poor kid tried to kill himself, for fucks sake. 11 years old. Just think about that for a second.
Thankfully, in a move that has restored a bit of my faith in humanity, the brony community has responded with an outpouring of support, doing such things as raising over 35,000 dollars to help the kid's family pay for his medical expenses. The cast members of the show even recorded messages for him.
In my opinion, this just proves that we are better, and always will be better, than our detractors. The bullying may be disgusting, but the mere fact that the fandom responded in such a sympathetic and supportive way to help a kid they didn't even know really, really warms my heart.
If you are of faith, keep Michael in your prayers. If not, please keep him in your thoughts. Nobody deserves to be tormented like that. I will do my best to show my support for Michael and his family, and I hope that you all will spread the word about this throughout Fimfiction, so that we can truly come together as a community in order to help this little boy.
Thank you.
I left my thoughts in a blog by another user - UniqueSKD. I'm glad to hear people have moved to support Michael.
Prayers aren't going to help him. Its a nice thought, but that's all it is: a thought. If you want to do something to help, actually DO something; donate some money, send him something, spread awareness. Just do something that will help.
Not fair.
Just when my faith in this fandom reached an all time low this story surfaces.
I hate bullies. There aren't many things in this world that I actively despise, but bullies are one of them. I've never seen the point in degrading another human being for some unknown ends, and the fact that after this poor kid tried to end his life at 11 people continue to try and hurt him astounds me.
Then the fandom comes in and reaches out. This story both brings my faith and love for humanity to an all time low yet manages to leave a spark of hope.
I loathe humanity in general. Bullies I despise particularly. The people who went out of their way to support this kid and his family? Those are the people I can agree to share the same planet with.
1792013 I know. I'm not a man of faith, but if people want to pray for him and only that, who am I to judge them? If that's what they want to do, so be it. After all, if you read the story you'll find that the Bible was one of the few things that kept Michael's spirits up before he ultimately decided to try and end it. I'll help the kid in my own way. I am spreading awareness now, hoping that a major brony site like EQD picks up on this story so Michael can get even more help. The kid deserves it.
1792156 We're much more than a fandom. We're a community. When one of us is suffering, others will usually come to our aid. Many of you came to my aid when I was suffering, and not a day goes by where I don't appreciate it. I figure it's time to return the favor by helping this kid who did absolutely nothing wrong. Like I said on UniqueSKD's post, "We're bronies together, bronies forever. We're a fandom but so much more. No matter the course we will face the weather, we're bronies to the core."
How do I donate?
1792301
Also. Heck yes. We're like a big family, I love that about us.
1792301
In a lot of ways we are a community. And in a lot of ways we are a family. But I guess lately the darker side of our community has overshadowed the people in it that are genuinely good and should really be representing and first thought of when the word "brony" comes to mind. In a lot of ways we are a group of whiny bitches, and I hate how many bronies react to the episodes and demand more of the writers than is fair (it's not even fair to demand anything from them at all in my mind). Yet, when it comes to supporting each other, all of that whiny bitchiness seems to go away.
There are some truly amazing people that are a part of this community, and because of them I will proudly associate myself with this community of ours. Sadly, though, it isn't too often instances like this one get noticed or get any attention.
Where do I go to donate?
1792720
1792656 I believe it's this link.