At the fresh age of 5, Ryder Wells has been through the worst things one can go through in life.
Miraculously, the child from North Carolina did not lose his life in a vicious attack by two rottweilers while on a Thanksgiving family trip back in 2015.
He was only 21 months old at the time when two massive dogs threw themselves at him and bit off half his face. Also, his teeth were crushed, and he suffered a punctured lung and a broken arm.
The boy’s family did not believe he would survive but, against all odds, Ryder fought for his life and pushed through 50 surgeries.
However, instead of receiving support from other children and adults, the little angel had to endure nasty comments and mockery from them.
His teaching assistant said when Ryder started school even grown-ups would stare at him.
“When we go to the park, there’s a child who points and screams ‘monster’ at him before running away.” 31-year-old mom Brittany from Granite Falls said, The Mirror reported.
“Out shopping the other day someone shouted ‘ew’ at him. It’s hard and it breaks my heart as a parent that after everything he’s been through, people aren’t always nice over something he can’t help.
“But he is such a fighter, he doesn’t let anything hold him back.”
Many describe Ryder’s win over the battle as a ‘miracle’, as even medical experts did not think he would make it.
But the young mother is scared of her boy going to school.
“He wears glasses and a cap and sometimes he’ll hang his head to hide his face. But I just tell him every day that he’s beautiful, different is beautiful and it’s ok to be different.
“I just reassure him as much as I can but I’m absolutely terrified about when he goes to school. There are always going to be a couple of kids who aren’t kind.”
Now Britanny is on a mission to raise awareness about the effects bullying can have on disfigured people and hopes her son’s story will make people treat those who are different with more understanding and respect.
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