Man Messages His High School Bully Decades Later & He Actually Responds
Inside Creative House / Shutterstock In an emotional video shared on social media, a man named Michael shared the text message that he sent to his high school bully in 2013. Little did he know his bully would respond.
Sharing screenshots of the messages in a TikTok video, Michael admitted that he's glad he decided to message his bully and was able to get closure from that traumatic time in his life. But not every bullied kid is quite so lucky. According to federal data, an estimated 19% of high school students were bullied on school property in 2023. To put it into perspective, that's nearly 1 in 5 kids.
Michael messaged his high school bully to tell him how much turmoil he experienced.
In his video slideshow, Michael explained that his high school bully passed away a few years ago, and he was glad that he'd gotten to send him this message beforehand. In a message penned to his bully on Facebook Messenger, Michael explained that he had seen a post written by his bully on a mutual friend's wall, and the sight of his name brought back a lot of memories.
Mariana_erato | Shutterstock
"You bullied me all the way through high school until I had to drop out 'cause you ended up in one of my classes in grade 12," Michael wrote to his former bully, Jeff. "Certain memories stay with you for life, and the horrible memories of having you teasing me day after day."
Michael recalled having suicidal thoughts because of Jeff's relentless bullying and even tried to take his own life on three separate occasions. He acknowledged that he wasn't looking for any sympathy, but was simply sending the message to hopefully bury all of that and leave it in the past once and for all.
After Michael sent the message, his high school bully, Jeff, responded.
He thanked Michael for not only messaging him but also calling him out for the horrible ways he made Michael feel throughout high school. He explained that no apology could make up for any of that, and he never intended to act maliciously, even though that's how it came across.
Jeff even opened up about how the same things are happening to his children now, which he attributed to being "retribution" for how he made Michael feel in high school.
"I contemplated suicide a couple times because I've been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I am VERY happy that you did not commit suicide because of the actions of an insensitive classmate," Jeff wrote. "I'll never be able to apologize enough to undo the damage I did, but please know that I'll be forever grateful for you having the courage to show me what I truly was ... and I'm disgusted and ashamed of myself."
Michael admitted that he "appreciated" Jeff's honesty. Michael's initial message and Jeff's response prompted a productive conversation between them, in which Michael thanked him for being honest and pointed out that in high school, everyone is going through something that can affect us in many different ways.
"Bullying has now been brought into the light, and it's good to see that people are now taking it seriously," Michael stated. "My life was affected in a big way for many years, but it wasn't all just you; there were many people who made my life a living hell. It stays with you [for] a very long time, which is why I feel for kids nowadays who are going through it."
Sadly, bullying in schools and online is still common.
Hryshchyshen Serhii | Shutterstock
According to the Youth Right Now survey, conducted annually by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 40% of child and teen respondents said they were bullied on school campuses in the past year, while 18% said they experienced cyberbullying.
Michael praised Jeff for being the bigger person and for not only acknowledging all of his past mistakes but expressing remorse over them as well. "Thank you again from the bottom of my heart, I can't thank you enough for writing me back," he said.
Jeff promised that his personal growth since high school would not go unnoticed, and he would try everything in his power to ensure that nobody else would ever have to suffer as Michael did.
Not only was Michael's decision to message his former high school bully a brave step toward achieving closure and healing, but Jeff's response showed that even though years have passed, the remorse for having torn someone down exponentially is still deep. His accountability and regret prove that people can not only truly grow and evolve but also seek out a genuine desire to make amends.
Their exchange is a shining example of how, even in the face of past pain and torment, people can come together and inspire healing, growth, and the promise of a better, more compassionate world. In a time when wounds often run deeper than we may think, Michael and Jeff's conversation proves that it's never too late to apologize and seek redemption.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org to connect to a trained crisis counselor.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
