Unfortunately, bullying is a bigger problem than most people realize.
And it’s especially heartbreaking when this form of mental torture affects young people.
Zane Omlid knows this all too well. His classmates were constantly calling him names and teasing him.
Sometimes, they even physically abused Zane. His parents claimed that their son was pushed, assaulted, and even written on with markers.
However, nobody seemed to care.
But one day a group of tattooed bikers in a leather vests stormed into town to sort things out.
13-year-old Zane Omlid had been suffering from the cruel taunting of school bullies who had been teasing him for at least two years at his middle school in Minnesota.
The young boy was punched in his private area, written on with markers, and humiliated.
Many schools have policies that can lead to a suspension if students are caught bullying, but sadly, it didn’t seem like Zane’s school was doing anything to stop the torment he was experiencing.
So when a group of bikers heard about what Zane’s situation, they wasted no time in making their presence known in Zane’s neighborhood.
One day, a group of bikers known as Syd’s Angels: Bikers Against Bullies, pulled up outside Zane’s parent’s house.
A scary sight at first for many, but it turned out to be quite the opposite.
The group of concerned bikers wanted Zane to know he was not alone, that he had friends by his side, and that they had his back.
Founder Greg Carson, a bald, tattooed biker in a leather and yelled: “We are looking for a 13-year-old named Zane!”
He asked the boy to come outside to meet them, where Greg Carson presented Zane with a T-shirt and the group prayed together.
Zane came out to meet the bikers, his mother behind him, and went up to shake hands.
The eye-catching group then took a motorcycle ride through the community with Zane. Of course, Zane was happy, too, as the bikers made it clear that whoever was tormenting him was finished.
The boy was so grateful and he hugged many of the bikers.
Syd’s Angels Bikers Against Bullies was created in 201, after members heard how a girl named Sydney was being bullied. One day, she was lured out in the woods.
Two girls, aged 19 and 15, began to beat up Sydney as another recorded a video with a cell phone that they then uploaded to Facebook and YouTube.
That video went viral. It was soon seen by local bikers who became outraged and decided enough was enough.
The bikers wanted to show kids in the community who are bullied that it’s not okay and that they don’t have to face their tormentors alone.
Hopefully, the sight of the bikers did what it intended to do and left Zane’s bullies knowing what it feels like to be intimidated.
“Today is just the beginning,” Carson told the 13-year-old Zane. “We love you, we don’t even know you but we love you.”
Zane’s mom was undoubtedly moved when she met with the bikers. Through her tears, she shared what hell her child was facing daily at school.
The strong statement of solidarity gave Zane’s confidence a much-needed boost. Now the cowardly bullies hopefully knows that their behavior is’t going unnoticed.
Happily, this meeting seems to have had an effect. Today Zane is looking much happier in school.
Greg Carson keeps in contact too, and commented on this photo to say, “Lookin good kid lookin good.”
In the next 7 minutes, a child in the U.S. will be bullied. It may be the son or daughter of someone you know. It may even be your own child.
A third of students say they were bullied last school year, according to a report released today by non-profit group YouthTruth.
As the statistics point out, and thanks to the internet, kids can now bully each other from anywhere. That makes it harder for the schools and the teachers to step in.
In my opinion, the responsibility to end it has to start at home with parents. We must all teach our children that being the bully is simply not okay.
With children taking their own lives as a result of bullying and bullying even being blamed for school violence and many school shootings, those who stand up against it are increasingly important to our society.
Bikers like Syd’s Angels Bikers Against Bullies should be hailed for their efforts to help this boy and others by attempting to put an end to bullying.
Hopefully, this not only deters his bullies and raises Zane’s self-esteem but also makes the parents of those bullies realize it’s time to step up too.
We should all start looking out for kids in our community — and that includes ensuring ours aren’t mistreating others.
Pass this story on if you agree!
