Little Boy Offers To Give Up One Of His Own Christmas Presents To Give A Gift That Will Make Life Easier For His Bullied Best Friend
Just one thoughtful gift has the power to lift someone's spirits significantly.
JOKE_PHATRAPONG / Shutterstock When a seventh grader learned that his best friend was being bullied by their classmates, he decided to take matters into his own hands to put a smile back on his friend's face.
His kind actions tugged at the heartstrings of people all around the country and even brought his school administrator to tears. Now, he is encouraging others to lend a helping hand to those who need it most.
Romello Early gifted his best friend, Melvin Anderson, a new pair of sneakers after seeing him get bullied over the old, worn-down shoes he wore to school.
Among the student body of Buffalo Creek Academy are seventh graders Romello Early and Melvin Anderson. The friends are two peas in a pod and are often seen hanging out side by side in between classes.
They are so close that Romello quickly picked up on the fact that one day at school, Melvin appeared to be quiet and withdrawn. He later discovered that his best friend was being picked on by other students over his shoes. The pair Melvin had been wearing to school were old and falling apart at the seams.
Despite Melvin’s attempt to conceal his hurt feelings, Romello could tell that he was upset. "I could tell it was upsetting him," Romello told WGRZ News. "It just put a real bad ache in my stomach to see somebody have to go through that, and to be to be picked on just based on appearance."
Wanting to cheer up his best friend, Romello decided to surprise him with a gift that would completely turn his mood around.
He saved up his allowance money to buy Melvin a brand-new pair of Nike sneakers.
"I had saved up my allowance, and so I asked my mom to take me to the shoe store to get Melvin some shoes,” Romello said. “And the next day I came and gave them to him.”
Romello even told his mother he would give up one of his own Christmas gifts in exchange for a pair of shoes for Melvin.
Melvin expressed his gratitude over the thoughtful gift he received from his best friend, and does not take his selfless actions for granted. "I'm really appreciative of what he did for me," Melvin said. "I'm doing chores at home so I can earn some money to try and pay him back for what he did for me."
Romello, however, assured his best friend that paying him back was not necessary. "That's just a gift from me to you,” he said to Melvin.
Romello knows all too well what it feels like to be bullied. "At my old school, throughout all the grades I was picked on because of my height," the teen, who stands at 4 feet and 6 inches tall, recalled. "And that made me think about how nobody else should have to go through how I felt."
Romello’s actions were commended by the Dean of Culture, Bryant Brown, Jr., who admitted that he was nearly moved to tears.
He decided to call both teens down to his office and snap a picture of the two of them side by side with Melvin’s new shoes. Brown later shared the photo on Facebook, writing, “Melo used his allowance and bought Melvin some shoes. This is what I live for. Be that helping hand.”
The photo went viral, and now Romello hopes his kind deed will inspire others to do the same.
Offering a helping hand or demonstrating care toward a child who is being bullied goes to greater lengths than we may perceive. Positive experiences during difficult times can shape their perspective, contribute to personal growth, and influence their future interactions.
While you certainly are not obligated to buy a victim of bullying a pair of shoes to lift their spirits, sitting with them at lunch, chatting with them, and lending a shoulder to cry on can be just as big a gift.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.