He was about 13 when it happened. He went from a meek little guy to a 6' 250 lb. giant with strapping muscles. The miscreants came to the door wanting to know if my son could come out to play football. They were not prepared when he stepped outside, got on the line, and proceeded to destroy anyone who was set up to block him.
They never tried to bully him again.
It is very difficult for kids who want so desperately to fit in, to be liked and to have friends, to stand up for themselves. Some parents tell the kids to shake it off, knowing that the world is full of wolves and that they will have to learn how to cope. Some parents see it as normal childish teasing, part of the growing experience. Some parents, like me, see it as a potential threat and isolate the threat from their offspring.
Praying that this young man recovers and that the community rallies around him - not just now, but for the rest of his life.
I agree with you.
My son is the IDEAL victim with his not speaking, but following directions perfectly. I fought tooth and nail the school district last year because they wouldn’t give him an aide to keep him safe, nor did they guarantee his safety on playgrounds. We lost and I pulled him out. He is homeschooled / hybrid schooled this year. His classes at the hybrid school have 9-10 kids in them only, and the teachers and others look after him with kindness. Huge difference.