Tiger Woods? He can empathize.
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Gustafson, described by Golf Digest writer Ron Sirak as “[o]ne of the bravest people I know,” was compassionate enough to reach out to Sirak about Dillon, who has been so bullied at school because of his speech impediment that his mother said in a letter to Gustafson that he contemplated suicide.
Gustafson — who, despite a severe stutter, Sirak writes, has carved out a two-decade career in the very public life of professional golf — made Dillon’s heartbreaking story public by sharing an email from the boy’s mother that read in part:
Gustafson made it her mission to help out Dillon, and she started by reaching out to Sirak.
“Me and my husband immediately ran upstairs, his bedroom door was locked, we busted down the door and he was sitting on the window and was getting ready to jump. We were able to grab him and keep him from going head first onto the concrete below.”
Sirak read and wrote. Woods, who also overcame a stutter as a child, caught wind of the story and sent Dillon an encouraging letter, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“You are a journalist and a writer but I’m not sure how much of a story it is. A kid that’s different and that gets teased is happening every day, everywhere.”
Tiger’s letter to the boy wasn’t made public, but, as Sirak noted, that’s secondary.
Bullying is a serious problem. Join Sophie and me in shouting with one united, clear voice that we will not tolerate our children being treated that way.
Let’s give this boy, and millions like him, something to look forward to.
