Mom writes open letter to son's bully
ELK GROVE, Calif. (KTVU) - KTVU's Frank Somerville posted about a mom who wrote an open letter to her son's bully.
Here's what was written on his Facebook page:
“He started calling my son a fa*got and said no one wants you around. And then the straw that broke the camels back was him telling my son to go kill himself.
Lili DeVaney lives in Elk Grove near Sacramento. And she just sent me this 'open letter to my son’s bully.' It’s amazing what she wrote.
It will probably take you about 90 seconds to read it. I was going to shorten it a little. But there was nothing I could cut. Her message is that strong.
Here’s what she posted:
'Dear XXXX,
I know you are busy being a teenager, but today marks a year since you changed my family’s lives forever.
You probably do not remember what happened, as life went on as normal for you.
However, I remember everything, like it happened yesterday. My son, your victim, remembers, as he still gets angry just hearing your name.
His little brother remembers, as he also had to switch schools due to what you did. You see, while you remained at the same school, my kids had to start over at a new one.
While you are able to see your friends every day, both my sons had to make new ones.
While you go about your life like nothing happened, my son still lives with the anger and frustration of feeling like he was victimized twice…once by you, and once by having to change schools to escape you and your wrath.
While the physical scars you inflicted on him faded away, the emotional ones are still very much apparent.
He remembers how you told him that no one liked him, so he should just go kill himself.
He remembers how you told his friends not to hang out with him anymore, so he ended up eating lunch alone.
He remembers how you told him that you purposely picked a fight with him, to make him ineligible to try out for the basketball team.
He remembers the anger and frustration he felt on this very day, when he was suspended for a fight you started.
Even though you and your parents have denied that anything ever happened, and you received zero consequences for what you did, you might be surprised to know that I thank you.
Thank you for all the lessons my son learned from you. Thank you for teaching him how life is not always fair and the adults won’t always have his best interests at heart.
Thank you for toughening him up, and being the main reason he started karate. Thank you for making it unsafe for him to go to your school anymore, as he has made new friends and is thriving at his new school.
Thank you for showing my son that his parents will do whatever it takes to keep him safe.
Thank you for showing my son that he can always go to his parents with any problem, and we will work together to find a solution.
You gave him a fire in his belly to drive him to do his best.
In addition, while we live in a city that is still a small town at heart, we know we will cross paths with you again.
Even though I still get angry whenever I see pictures of you having fun at birthday parties with kids my son used to call friends, I know my son is in a better place. I know my son is now happy.
I know my son will grow up to be an amazing man.
Maybe you will too.
Maybe you will one day wake up and realize how many people you hurt with your bullying ways.
Maybe your parents will have enough of putting their heads in the sand, and will teach you about consequences.
Or maybe I am now the one in denial.
Just know this, young Mr. XXXX…life goes on for us.
I thank God every day that my son came to me, instead of taking your suggestion to heart and taking his own life.
My son will not be a statistic, and because of you, I will continue to fight for other victims like my son.
So thank you for showing me my purpose.
Sincerely,
Lili DeVaney
The Anti-bullying Mom'
I sure hope that Mr. XXXX reads this. It would be pretty impressive if he truly changed and apologized. Somehow though I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I will never understand why it’s so difficult for people to humble themselves and so two simple words: I’m sorry."