Photo: getty
So many people are rallying in support of the boy.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Dec 26, 2017
A video of an 11-year-old crying while talking about the bullying he and others go through at school has gone viral.
“Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What’s the point of it?” Keaton Jones, now 11, asks his mother in the video from the passenger’s seat of a car.
The world was heartbroken when the young boy’s mother, Kimberly Jones, shared the video on Facebook of her son describing how he is bullied by other kids at school. She wrote that she was picking Keaton up early from school because he was afraid to go to lunch.
“They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends,” Keaton says through tears.
His mother then asks him how it makes him feel and his answer is so genuine.
“I don’t like that they do it to me. And I, for sure, don’t like that they do it to other people, cause it’s not okay!” he says. “People that are different don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault.”
But he wants others who are being bullied to stay strong and gives them some advice from a fellow victim.
“But if you are made fun of, just don’t let it bother you. Just stay strong, I guess,” Keaton says. “It’s hard. But … it’ll probably get better one day.”
His mother said that it was her son’s idea to record the video.
“Talk to your kids,” Jones wrote. “We all know how it feels to want to belong, but only a select few know how it really feels not to belong anywhere.”
It seems like things have gotten better for the 11-year-old, as celebrities and professional athletes have taken notice of the video, which has over 22 million views on Facebook alone.
According to the Washington Post, athletes in Tennessee, where Keaton lives, were first to reach out to the boy.
Former NFL player Donté Stallworth called for athletes in Tennessee to come together to let Keaton know he is not alone.
Tyler Bird, a wide receiver for the University of Tennessee, responded to Stallworth’s plea and is going to Keaton’s school on Tuesday to show support for the middle schooler.
Another University of Tennessee player, quarterback Jarrett Guarantano, tweeted a photo of himself and Keaton, calling the boy his “new best bud” and “the little brother I always wanted.”
But the video struck the nerves of more than just local athletes.
Justin Bieber took Keaton’s story and used it as a way to stand up against bullying on Instagram in a short video.
Actress Millie Bobby Brown tweeted #StandWithKeaton, a hashtag that has been created in support of the boy.
Many celebrities took to Twitter to express their support and rally for Keaton.
Snoop Dogg posted on Instagram that Keaton has a “friend in me for life.”
UFC fighter Tim Kennedy tweeted, “I’m not good at many things but I’m decent with bullies. If you ever need a sidekick, let me know. I’ll be there.”
The president even got in on the issue, tweeting that he’d host Keaton and his family if they were to accept the offer from UFC president Dana White to tour the headquarters.
According to The Guardian, Keaton’s mother was very grateful for all of the support she has received for her son.
“Friends, overwhelmed is the understatement of the world right now. I love each of you for what you are doing, but there is literally no way I can respond or even read all of the messages,” she said in a Facebook post. “I’m not trying to be rude, or ungrateful, I’m just overwhelmed & at the end of the day, this isn't new for us, & we still have to truck on thru the day today.”