After Bullies Forced Eighth Grader To Leave School, Total Strangers Help [Video]

Breanna Mendoza was an eighth grade student at the Ducher Middle School in Turlock, California, who mercilessly bullied by classmates since grade school. They bullied her in person and posted threats on social media. One person who bullied her was even a former friend. She couldn’t take the terrible taunting anymore and feared being beaten up.

Breanna was born with Goldenhar syndrome, which is a rare congenital condition that causes the eye, ear, and spine to develop abnormally, according to the Huffington Post. Breanna said the following.

“I felt like I had no other reason to be alive. So I had sent a few text messages to a few of my friends saying, ‘I’m sorry, goodbye, that I care about you guys.'”

Breanna stopped attending school almost two months ago, according to ABC News Channel 10. A video of Breanna can be seen here. Breanna’s parents reported the threats to the Turlock Police Department and refuse to send her back to the same school if things don’t change. Instead, they want to send her to a charter school where she would attend in person one day per week and be home-schooled the remainder of the time. They also want her to have a full-time aide with her.

The principal of the school indicated that they are investigating as quickly as possible, which isn’t sufficient for her parents. Her mother, Wendy Mendoza, stated the following regarding how dangerous — literally life or death — it is for her daughter to return to school should anything happen, according to ABC News Channel 10.

“If the girls did get her, if they hit her in her face, it cuts off the airway and she can’t breathe which means she dies. You feel extremely angry that the school was doing nothing about it,. They were sweeping it under the rug. They weren’t even telling me that my daughter was being harassed.”

But once her story hit the media, she realized how many people are in support of her. Breanna received messages on social media that were loving and kind. Total strangers told her that they supported her. Bullies need not apply. Total strangers reached out to let her know they supported her. Local businesses offered a free photo shoot, with special makeup and clothing, so her inner beauty shines through.

But her favorite surprise was from the Children’s Craniofacial Association. It invited Breanna and her family to its annual family retreat in Newport Beach, California. There will be seven other families who have children with Goldenhar syndrome. According to the Huffington Post, Breanna said the following.

“I’m finally going to be able to meet kids like me. I’ve gotten so many friend requests. I’ve gotten so many people texting me saying, ‘We’re very proud of you, you’re so amazing, you’re beautiful, we love you.'”

It’s great that Breanna is getting the needed support to show her what a valuable, beautiful person she is. Unfortunately, some teens are pushed too far by bullies. The death of 14-year-old Raymond Howell Jr. was ruled a suicide. The McKinney Boyd High School, Texas, freshman’s body was found near a culvert beside busy Eldorado Parkway in McKinney. Friends and sources close to the family indicated that he had been bullied by older kids badly enough that he requested a transfer to another school, according to an article in the Inquisitr. Unfortunately, help didn’t arrive soon enough.

What do you think the penalties should be for bullying?

[Photo Courtesy Facebook]