This is the horrific story of what happened to a young man who was being bullied but refused to report his bully. He’s currently unable to speak or walk as a result of the bully’s abuse. (Source)
Neo -Hobbs, a 16-year-old boy from Nevada, was beaten so badly by bullies that his skull was fractured. His brain -was left bruised and bleeding, and he was hit so hard that it shifted inside his skull.
The young man was in a coma and, as the time of this writing, remains paralyzed and unable to speak.
The Bullying of Neo Hobbs.
Mom Sandra Davidson says they are trying to piece together what happened. What she knows for sure is that her son had been talking about a boy at school who was being mean to him.
“This boy was saying stuff about him, and I told Neo, ‘Just ignore it.’ He says, ‘I am, mom. The best I can.'”
Unfortunately, telling kids to “just ignore it,” is what most parents say. It’s what we were told to do by our parents.
When Davidson encouraged her son to either tell the school or let her tell them, he was too afraid. He didn’t want to report the bullying. Sadly, that’s the norm. Kids don’t want the bullying reported because they are afraid it’ll get worse.
“He has to have a lot of physical therapy,” she said. “He has to learn how to walk, talk, brush his teeth, feed himself. He has to learn all that over again.”
(Tip for Parents: Before you take your child to a splash pad this summer, please read this important warning.)
Signs of Bullying
If you’ve ever been concerned about your child facing a bully at school, it’s imperative that you learn as much as possible. According to StopBullying.gov, here are things to look for.
Unexplainable injuries
Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Your child may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
Feelings of helplessness or decreased self-esteem
Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
Signs Your Child Might Be a Bully
As important as being able to identify whether your child is being bullied is the ability to recognize whether your own child is the bully.
If parents become proactive in making sure their kids aren’t exhibiting bullying behavior, we solve a big part of the problem. (StopBullying.gov)
Get into physical or verbal fights
Have friends who bully others
Are increasingly aggressive
Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
Blame others for their problems
Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity
What to Do Next
Don’t leave it to your child to figure out on their own. Have a courageous conversation about how your family should deal with it together.
If it’s happening at school, contact the following:
Teacher
School counselor
School principal
School superintendent
State Department of Education
Call 9-1-1 if the situation calls for help by law enforcement or emergency services.
In closing, our love and our hearts go out to Neo Hobbs and his family.
What happened to Neo should be a warning to parents everywhere. We all have to be active participants in the lives of our children.
To be sure you’re completely up to speed on all aspects of bullying, please take the time to read over all the tips and steps laid out at StopBullying.gov. They’ve done a great job of sharing what we, as parents, need to know and what we can and should do to help.
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3 comments on “This Boy Can’t Speak or Walk Because Of Bullying”
Every school has to have an anti-bullying policy in place. Fill out a formal complaint, and they are required BY LAW to do something about the situation. If there was physical contact, you get hold of law enforcement and file a legal complaint for physical assault, assault and battery, whatever. I taught in public schools for 38 years, and sad to say, there were many times “nothing was done” for a variety of reasons. When you had a paper trail of your complaint, things happened. I had a friend who had to go all the way to a school board meeting to see action; this was after teacher, principal, and superintendent. Many times the bullies need as much help as the victims they create.
That child or children should be made to go visit him every single day and also help take care of him. That’s attempted murder. I’m so sad it hits home because my daughter was bullied all throughout middle school and high school.
Thanks for your article. It’s unfortunate when my child’s school administration’s response to a me and my husband was “she/he just takes things too personally”.