SOMETIMES your worst day could be your best day ever. Or at least the start of something good.
When nine-year-old Quaden Bayles was bullied in school in his native Australia because of his dwarfism, he felt bad enough to want to die. In a video posted by his mother Yarraka Bayles to call attention to the dire effects of bullying, the young Quaden tells his mother, “Give me a knife. I want to kill myself…I wish I could stab myself in the heart. I want someone to kill me.”
“This is what bullying does, this is the effect that bullying has” his mother said in her video post that has since gone viral. “Every single day something happens. Another episode, another bullying, another taunt, another name-calling. Can you please educate your children, your families, your friends?”
The video made the rounds of the cyber universe and touched many. The reactions were quick and tsunami-like in their impact. From a bullied boy, Quaden became, overnight, an object of love and a cause to fight for. Huge heaps of public sympathy from every corner of the world poured in for him. The sports world responded as one and swept away the dark, angry clouds for the bullied boy. He became a hero.
First, the little boy who dreams of becoming a professional rugby player, was given a super treat by rugby players in Queensland just days after the video aired. He walked hand in hand with pro rugby players as they strode to the pitch in an exhibition match between Australia’s Indigenous All Stars and the New Zealand Maori. Latrell Mitchell of the South Sydney Rabbitohs had invited him to lead out their side, and Bayles held the hand of team captain Joel Thompson on the way out. Earlier, actor Hugh Jackman, stand-up comedian Brad Williams, who was also born with achondroplasia—the same condition Quaden has—and Boston Celtics big man Enes Kanter had expressed their support for him.
More recently, ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong posted a video that could change Quaden’s view of the world forever. “To the parents and children out there. Let’s stop this bullying. Let’s be kind to one another. The world needs it now, more than ever,” he said. Then Chatri invited Quaden and his family to visit Singapore, all expenses paid as his personal guest so he could learn martial arts. The family accepted and Quaden is now in the land of the Merlion to check out the martial arts gym at Evolve MMA.
“I just spoke to his amazing Mom, Yarraka over the phone. She has graciously accepted my invitation to come to Singapore for an all expenses paid vacation so Quaden can learn martial arts at Evolve. Our instructors will be sure to bully-proof Quaden. If he wakes up from his nap, we plan to FaceTime tonight. Yarraka said that he might sleep through the night. If so, we will FaceTime tomorrow. Let us all take the opportunity to show little Quaden how much the world cares,” Chatri posted.
Then more champions stood up for the little guy. “I would do anything for this kid. Truly had tears in my eyes watching [the video]. I got your back, little champ,” tweeted Bellator star Dillon Danis.
Demetrious “ Mighty Mouse” Johnson came out in a ONE video to say “With me being 5’3 growing up in my school, I got made fun of a lot…. So I hope this message finds you in warm spirits and always keep your head up. We’re all beautiful in our own little way. Don’t let anybody tell you that you’re different, take the pain you get from them and use it.”
“Hey, my little man Quaden,” said ONE World Heavyweight Champion Brandon Vera. You know that you have a friend over here. I’m with you in this. You need somebody to hang out with? I’m him. I wish the world was a nicer place, [but] it’s not always.”
“I believe you’ll become something special once you come through this. So please stay strong,” said Singaporean Muay Thai champion Amir Khan.
Alain Ngalani, Cameroonian-born Hong Kong mixed martial artist, lickboxer and four-time Muay Thai champion shared: “As a victim of bullying myself, I totally understand what you’re going through. And this is just to show you support. Just want to tell you that you are not alone. We love you.”
“Stay strong. You have people around you who love you dearly. I think now is the perfect time that we stand up as one, unite together as human beings with morals, to step in and say no to bullying,” said a very concerned Martin “The Situ-Asian” Nguyen, ONE Featherweight Champion of the World.
Team Lakay athletes including Filipino champion Eduard Folayang, Team Lakay Coach Mark Sangiao, reigning ONE Strawweight World Champion Joshua Pacio and other Lakay heroes aired a message from their newly built gym in Baguio City: “Life can be tough. But life is also beautiful. Keep fighting because we are all fighting for you,” they said as one.
The other side of midnight is sunshine. Right, Quaden?