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Celebrities take to Twitter to rally around bullying victim
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A video showing Tennessee student Keaton Jones talking about how he is being bullied has gone viral on his mother's Facebook page, which has prompted a massive show of support from celebrities on Twitter. (twitter.com/everything_tn/File)
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ctors, athletes, musicians and other celebrity personalities are sending love and support on Twitter to Tennessee student Keaton Jones, whose mother shared a video relating his heartbreaking story of bullying on Facebook.
This is Keaton Jones, he lives in Knoxville and he has a little something to say about bullying.pic.twitter.com/coyQxFp33V
— Everything TN (@Everything_TN) December 9, 2017In the video, Jones is sitting in the car because he is afraid to go to lunch among his schoolmates.
“They make fun of my nose. They call me ugly. They say I have no friends,” he tells his mother as he begins to cry.
The video begins with Jones questioning why bullying happens at all, but ends with a hopeful message for other victims of bullying: “I don’t like that they do it to me. And I, for sure, don’t like that they do it to other people, 'cause it’s not okay! People that are different, don’t need to be criticized about it. It’s not their fault.”
In her post, his mother Kimberly Jones encouraged parents to talk to their children about bullying.
Read also: Bullying in childhood can have long-lasting effect on health
As reported by the Huffington Post, the video on Kimberly Jones’ Facebook page has gone viral, receiving over 18 million views. Incidentally, it caught the attention of celebrities, who have since reached out on Twitter to send Keaton messages of hope and encouragement. Actors Chris Evans, Millie Bobby Brown and Patricia Arquette are among the big names who have taken to the social media platform in a mass show of support.
“Stay strong, Keaton. Don’t let them make you turn cold,” Evans tweeted on Sunday. “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
Jones has also been invited as Hailee Steinfield’s date to the Pitch Perfect 3 premiere, while Tennessee Titans’ Delanie Walker invited the Jones family to a game against Jacksonville on New Year’s Eve.
Hi @Lakyn_Jones, could you pass this message along to Keaton? ❤ pic.twitter.com/3l8P4fKAqW
— Hailee Steinfeld (@HaileeSteinfeld) December 10, 2017
@DonteStallworth @Lakyn_Jones hopefully my video and the tweets that Keaton have been getting brings awareness to bullying and how serious it is in our school system pic.twitter.com/1Dujv3RxA5
— Delanie walker (@delaniewalker82) December 9, 2017
Principal Greg Clay of Horace Maynard Middle School, where Keaton is a student, said to the Knoxville News Sentinel: “I’m sorry it’s like this. We all sympathize with Keaton and we’re doing everything we can to make sure it never happens again. Everybody saw the video and it was horrible. We don’t want anyone to feel like that. Keaton’s a good kid. We’ll take care of him.” (afr/kes)
