‘My heart hurts for him’: The web rallies to befriend Shayden, a bullied boy from Amarillo, Texas

In happy news, a recent viral TikTok has restored our collective faith in humanity and helped give a bullied boy from Amarillo, Texas a new lease on life — and some new friends. Earlier this week, a young boy named Shayden Walker went up to his grandma’s neighbor’s door and asked if he knew any kids his age in the neighborhood. Shayden broke all of our hearts when he said, “I need some friends, like really bad,” and in one of the internet’s finer moments, people decided to do something about Shayden’s predicament.

Many people found Shayden’s dilemma endearing, if not relatable. I think I speak for most of us when I say that most people know the heart-wrenching feeling of realizing those you considered friends aren’t actually friends at all. Navigating friendships as a kid isn’t easy and everyone longs for that feeling of finding your circle of people who truly get you (and like you anyway). After the TikTok went viral, people were clamoring to befriend Shayden or help in some way.

Shark Tank alum and entrepreneur Rener Gracie made an effort to invite Shayden and his family to Torrance, California for an all expenses paid trip to Disneyland, as well as a free stay at Gracie’s anti-bullying summer camp. The good tidings didn’t stop there; Brennan Ray, the neighbor who posted the TikTok, started a GoFundMe for Shayden, which quickly overshot its goal. Shayden’s mother, Krishna Patterson, then saw the TikTok and GoFundMe, which the two families ended at around $37,000 according to a report from KTLA. “After I and Shayden talked about it, we agreed to donate some of that,” Patterson said of the money.

“I made the GoFundMe and within the first hour, it was $2,000 and within the first five hours, it was $10,000. Before I could get off work, we had passed $20,000 and so it was honestly, it was mind-blowing how fast it happened. We were honestly hoping to get to Shayden and his parents before they had seen it, but it had gone so viral that there was no way.”

Brennan Ray

A local account, @soledoutamarillo, went out of their way to hang out with Shayden and uploaded a clip of Shayden happily playing a claw game and getting a sick haircut. KFDA, a network affiliated with CNN, also headed over to talk to both Shayden’s and Brennan’s families after the two finally met (Brennan confirmed Shayden was staying at his grandmother’s house when he knocked on their door). Both Shayden and Krishna spoke about the TikTok boosting Shayden’s confidence and has helped him to be more comfortable expressing himself.

“If you can be the one to stand out and, you know, help somebody else, set that trend,” Brennan said of the viral clip, while Shayden asked bullies to consider how they would feel if they were the ones being bullied. Thank you, Brennan and Shayden, for spreading some positivity and making kids like Shayden feel less alone.