Tennessee middler schooler Keaton Jones was tired of being bullied at school and in a heartbreaking video, cried as he explained to his mother that the constant meanness towards him was not OK. The video, posted online, spread like wildfire on social media and has now caught the attention of numerous celebrities.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Kimberly Jones posted the video on Facebook on behalf of her son, and supporters from all over the nation replied, offering Keaton words of encouragement and praising his bravery. The video has been viewed over 17 million times.
ORIGINAL Story: ‘They call me ugly. They say I have no friends’: Tearful boy’s plea for bullies to back off takes the Internet by storm
“Just out of curiosity, why do they bully? What’s the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to them?” Tennessee boy Keaton Jones asked his mother, Kimberly Jones, as she recorded her son while he described how bullies at his school treated him. “It’s not okay!”
“What did they say to you?” Kimberly Jones asked.
‘They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends,” Keaton replied.
“What did they do to you at lunch?” his mom asked.
“Poured milk on me and put ham down my clothes. Threw bread at me,” Keaton said.
Justin Bieber, who has long since been an advocate for anti-bullying, caught wind of the video and shared a message on Instagram with his followers on Sunday.
Other celebrities, according to Deadline, added in their own words of encouragement for the young boy, including Chris Evans, who invited him to attend the premiere of The Avengers next year in Los Angeles.
Stay strong, Keaton,” tweeted Chris Evans. “Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better. While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year?”
Stay strong, Keaton. Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better. While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year? https://t.co/s1QwCQ3toi
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) December 10, 2017
Actor Mark Ruffalo, who said he himself was the victim of bullying, tweeted that Keaton was his hero, while talk show host Dr. Phil offered to walk the school halls with the middle schooler and have lunch with him.
.@lakyn_jones Hey Keaton, bullies are the ones with the problems NOT you. Many are bullied at home and pass it on. Cowards always need an audience. Be strong! I’ll come walk the hall and eat lunch with you anytime. #IstandwithKeaton #Keatonstrong #KeatonJones
— Dr. Phil (@DrPhil) December 10, 2017
On Sunday, Tennessee Titans quarterback, Jarrett Guarantano, met Keaton in person and the pair enjoyed getting to know each other. Guarantano tweeted that he was honored to meet the boy and learned that they had a lot in common.
So I got the chance to spend the day with my new best bud Keaton. It was unbelievable to get to know him and realize that we have a lot in common. This dude is very special and has changed my life forever. Now I have the little brother I always wanted! God bless you my man pic.twitter.com/vMHVtnf2rC
— Jarrett Guarantano✞ (@BroadwayJay2) December 11, 2017
Other celebrities offering words of encouragement to Keaton include Snoop Dogg, Carnie Wilson, Katy Perry, Billy Baldwin, Patricia Arquette, Bernard Blake, Donna Murphy, and many more.
According to stopbullying.gov, a whopping 70.6% of children reported seeing bullying at their schools. If bystanders intervene within the first 10 seconds of bullying, more than half of the bullies tend to back away, according to the organization. Taking a stand against bullying also reduces the chances of childhood depression and suicide.
Click here to visit the official stopbullying.gov “What Kids Can Do” webpage, which provides details on how to deal with bullying and what children can do to protect themselves.
[Feature Photo: Keaton Jones/Facebook]
