A bullied boy has received $37,000 in donations after a video of him knocking on doors in hopes of making a friend went viral on social media.
In a video shared on TikTok - which was captured on a doorbell camera - a kid named Shayden Walker is seen on the front steps of his neighbor’s home in Amarillo, Texas.
The neighbor, identified as Brendan Ray, opened the door and greeted Shayden by asking: "What's up?", to which the visibly nervous young boy says: "Hi. I just wanted to see if you knew any kids around like, 11 or 12, maybe, because I need some friends. Like, really bad."
Ray then points at a house down the street where a few kids live and Shayden - who is sporting a Jaws T-shirt - replies: "Well, umm, they’re not my friends anymore because they’re bullies to me."
Watch the TikTok below:The boy then asks his neighbor if he has any kids, and when Ray tells him he has a two-year-old son, his little face lights up.
"That’s great. I actually… I love two-year-olds, to be honest. They’re just the most cutest things I’ve ever known," he joyfully says, adding that he "used to have" a two-year-old sister.
The child then tells the neighbor his name, and Ray responds by saying that he’ll greet him when he sees him in the neighborhood. "You have a good day," the brave boy says before walking away.
As of the time of writing, the video amassed a staggering 62.3 million views and 10.1 million likes, with many users sharing their support for the boy. One person wrote: "How brave of him omg he's so nice."
Another user gushed: "What a sweet boy!! I hope he finds friends. He’s so brave."
A third commented: "He is like my younger brother. I hope he finds some true friends and that he doesn’t continue to get bullied, no one should get bullied."
As Shayden’s neighbors were moved by his story, they decided to take action and help him by creating a GoFundMe page with the goal of raising funds to support him and his family, as well as treat him to a gaming system, new school clothes, and amusement park tickets.
The response was overwhelming, with donations pouring in from people who sent their love to the kid, and in just a few days, over $37,000 was raised - exceeding the initial target by far.
The outpouring of love not only provided financial assistance to the boy's family but also served as a reminder that there are kind-hearted people out there who are willing to stand up against bullying.
"Thank you all for your generosity and kindness! We expected to see support from this community but we’re shocked and amazed by how everyone’s shown up for Shayden," the couple posted.
"We decided to turn off donations while we coordinate with his family, but all funds will stay in the GoFundMe account until then. We’ll keep you updated along the way. Thank you! #kindnessmatters," they added.
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