ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong has responded to a viral video of a bullied boy by arranging for him and his family to fly to Singapore to help him learn martial arts.
The world has been touched by the heartbreaking story of Quaden Bayles, a nine-year-old boy with Achondroplasia dwarfism whose appearance in a video posted by his mother highlighted the battles parents and young children face when bullying becomes too much.
In the powerful video below, a tearful Quaden can be heard telling his mother, “Give me a knife. I want to kill myself,” and “I wish I could stab myself in the heart. I want someone to kill me.”
The video, posted by his mother Yarraka Bayles, has gone viral around the world, and a GoFundMe page to send the youngster and his mother to Disneyland has already topped $199,500 in donations.
The video alerted Sityodtong, who posted an emotional video message of support to Quaden, and invited him and his family on an all-expenses-paid trip to Singapore as his personal guests to see a ONE event and to check out his martial arts gym at Evolve MMA, which has a special program to help to “bully-proof” children.
“I just want to let you know that you have a friend in Asia,” said Sityodtong.
“I want you to know that God gives his toughest battles to his bravest and toughest soldiers, and for sure you are one of them.”
Chatri Sityodtong has a special message for Quaden Bayles
@yodchatri #WeStandwithQuaden #WeAreONE pic.twitter.com/Ex4bbYG3qk
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 21, 2020
Following his video offer, Sityodtong tweeted an update, saying: “I just spoke to his amazing mom, Yarraka, over the phone. She has graciously accepted my invitation to come to Singapore for an all-expenses-paid vacation so Quaden can learn martial arts at EVOLVE.
“Our instructors will be sure to bully-proof Quaden. If he wakes up from his nap, we plan to FaceTime tonight. Yarraka said that he might sleep through the night. If so, we will FaceTime tomorrow. Let us all take the opportunity to show little Quaden how much the world cares.”
The heartbreaking video also caught the attention of Dillon Danis, who has gone out of his way to help bullied children in the past. The Bellator star shared the video to his followers on Twitter with a message of support, saying, “I would do anything for this kid. Truly had tears in my eyes watching this. I got your back little champ.”
ONE Championship's Chatri Sityodtong to host bullied youngster Quaden Bayles