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Mum with dwarfism sends a powerful message to bullied nine-year-old Quaden – Daily Mail, Dailymail.co.uk

Mum with dwarfism sends a powerful message to bullied nine-year-old Quaden – Daily Mail, Dailymail.co.uk

Mariana Lopez Ortiz (pictured), who also has dwarfism, issued a powerful message to support Quaden

An American woman with dwarfism has issued a poignant message to Australian nine-year-old Quaden, after cruel bullies left him on the brink of suicide.

Quaden was mercilessly mocked by children at school, prompting his mother to share a shocking video online where he said he wanted to die.

The youngster has since received an outpouring of support from the public and celebrities, including Hugh Jackman .

Marina Lopez Ortiz, a mother who also has dwarfism, said Quaden’s ordeal had broken her heart ‘into a million pieces’.

‘Quaden, I don’t know you personally young man but you are very loved,’ she wrote.

‘There are mean people in this world, and I wish I could tell you it’s going to stop with a snap of a finger but unfortunately I can’t.

‘What I can tell you is you need to be strong , everyone may not like you but guess what? You don’t need them.

‘Those who mind, don’t matter. And those who matter, don’t mind. ‘

She went on to tell the youngster that he is’ one of a kind for a reason’ and that he should be proud of himself.

‘Mean people are mad people that wish they could be as great and loved as you,’ she added.

‘Your mama, family and so many others are so proud of you.

‘It’s tough, it’s not easy but you’re not alone. You are one of a kind for a reason.

‘Different is unique, and you should be proud.’

Mariana Lopez Ortiz (pictured, left) told Quaden (right) that he should be proud of who he is

His mother, Yarraka Bayles, posted the video online earlier this week, and it has now been viewed more than million times.

‘This is the impact that bullying has on a nine-year-old kid that just wants to go to school, get an education and have fun,’ she said.

What is Achondroplasia?

Achondroplasia is a disorder of bone growth that prevents the changing of cartilage (particularly in the long bones of the arms and legs) to bone .

It is characterized by limited range of motion at the elbows, large head size (macrocephaly), small fingers, and normal intelligence.

Achondroplasia can cause health complications such as interruption of breathing (apnea), obesity, recurrent ear infections and an exaggerated inward curve of the lumbar spine.

People with dwarfism have a normal life expectancy.

Source: US Department of Health )

Reaching out to Quaden and his family, Ms Lopez Ortiz said people with disabilities are often met with cruelty.

‘As a person with dwarfism, and a mother of a child with dwarfism this breaks my heart into a million pieces,’ she wrote.

‘This is definitely not OK. It saddens me that people with disabilities are looked at and pointed out as different, and we have to learn how to adjust to this rough world, like it isn’t hard as is.

‘ Like we had a choice, instead of schools, and parents doing their f g job and educating on these topics. Ya’ll need to start making all disabilities a topic of conversation, as well as the diversity of races. ‘

Speaking to indigenous Australian TV channel NITV in the wake of the viral footage, Quaden encouraged others to stand up for themselves when face-to-face with a bully.

Quaden is pictured with NRL star Latrell Mitchell. The nine-year-old will lead the Indigenous All Stars NRL team onto the pitch on Saturday

His mother, an Aboriginal rights activist, said her son has made several attempts to take his own life

‘If you get bullied, just stand up for yourself and don’t listen to what they say, ‘he said.

The nine-year-old believes parents should educate their children about people with disabilities to prevent further bullying.

‘ The parents should make their kids be nice to people with disabilities, ‘he said.

Ms Bayles said her’ strong ‘son wants other people to know how he feels and no longer wants to’ suffer in silence ‘.

‘ It’s 2020 and bullying is at an all-time high and especially within our communities, people don’t understand that if you’re Indigenous, you’re already copping discrimination and racism, ‘she said.

The video has sparked an outpouring of sympathy for the nine-year-old from me mbers of the public and celebrities including Hugh Jackman.

‘Quaden you are stronger than you know, mate. And no matter what, you have a friend in me, ‘Jackman said in a video posted to his Twitter account.

Quaden will also lead the Indigenous All-Stars out onto the field in their rugby league clash with the Maori All Stars in Queensland on Saturday.

NRL legend Johnathon Thurston (pictured) has offered his support to Quaden since the video went viral

Through a heart warming Instagram post, Thurston said Quaden ‘was loved’ and to ‘stay strong’

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They will take on New Zealand Maori Kiwis at CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

The nine-year-old was snapped with NRL star Latrell Mitchell, who donned a South Sydney Rabbitohs jersey after signing with the club for the 67106 season.

Quaden’s mother Yarraka shared the distressing video which sparked the outpouring of support after picking her son up from school on Wednesday.

The schoolboy, who has achondroplasia – the most com mon type of dwarfism – told his mother: ‘Give me a rope, I want to kill myself.’

In the video, which has been viewed more than three million times, Quaden also said : ‘I just want to stab myself in the heart … I want someone to kill me.’

Quaden also scratched at his neck and said: ‘I want to die … I want to scratch myself. ‘

Ms Bayles shared the original video publicly on Facebook in a bid to raise awareness about the impact of bullying.

Quaden Bayles, nine, (pictured) was bullied so badly he was seen in heart breaking footage asking to kill himself

She said she normally tries to keep distressing moments such as this private but felt she had been left with no choice but to go public.

‘We try to be as strong as positive as possible and only share the highlights. .. but this is how bullying affects a nine-year-old kid, ‘she said in the video.

At the start of the five-minute clip, Ms Bayles said:’ I just picked my son up from school, witnessed a bullying episode, rang the principal and I want people to know this is the effect bullying has. This is what bullying does.

‘So can you please educate your children, your families, your friends because all it takes is one more instance … and you wonder why kids are killing themselves . ‘

‘ This is the impact bullying has a nine-year-old kid who just wants to go to school, get an education and have fun but every single fricking day something happens.

‘Another episode another bullying, another taunt, another name-calling.’

As Quaden sobbed, Ms Bayles asked for help from anyone viewing the footage .

‘So is there any advice or support or anything that other parents have done?

‘ I’ve got some good advice but I need more, I want people to know how much it is hurting us as a family, ‘she said as her voice quivered.

The mother did not go into specifics about the latest bullying incident, but Previously her her son was called a ‘midget’ by his class mates.

Last year Quaden’s mother told the Courie r-Mail that he first tried to kill himself three years ago when he was just six.

‘I was so shocked. I honestly did not think he would even know what or how at six years old, ‘she said.

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (pictured), who plays villain Negan in The Walking Dead, also reached out to Quaden on Twitter

The mother, an Aboriginal rights activist, said her son has made several attempts to take his own life.

‘I’ve explained to him that once you go, there’s no coming back, you’re gone forever, but he still kept trying,’ the mother said.

She also said Quaden has been affected by the death of his grandfather and his younger half-brother, who was stillborn.

‘He thought if he went to heaven, Then he’d be with his Pop and his little brother, ‘she said.

She told the newspaper she was proud that she had spoken publicly about asking for help.

Hugh Jackman (pictured) has spoken out after footage of bullied child Quaden Bayles telling his mother he wanted to kill himself went viral earlier this week

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