Courageous Student Assists Peer Facing Bullying At Middle School In An Extraordinary Way

Melvin Anderson and Romello “Mello” Early are best buds at Buffalo Creek Academy Charter School. But one day, Melvin started getting bullied by some classmates. It was tough to watch, and Mello couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Mello knew he had to take action to put an end to the bullying.

Buffalo, New York residents Mello and Melvin are quite the odd couple. Mello is the life of the party, with an outgoing personality and a friendly demeanor. On the other hand, Melvin is more reserved, with a calm and gentle voice.

It’s October of 2022 and Mello notices that his friend Melvin is getting picked on by some classmates. They’re teasing him about his shoes, specifically their dirty and worn-out condition. The sneakers are covered in muck, the soles are thin, and the laces are frayed.

In November of 2022, the Dean of Culture at the school, Bryant Brown Jr., spoke about the incident involving Mello and his shoes. He explained that Mello likes to run in the mud and get his shoes dirty, which is a perfectly normal thing for a child to do.

Melvin’s story is not unique. Unfortunately, bullying is all too common in American schools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20 percent of high school students have reported being bullied. That’s a lot of kids living in fear every day.

Cyberbullying is also a major problem among American high school students, with 16 percent reporting that they have experienced it. But it’s even worse in middle schools. The CDC reports that nearly 30 percent of all student complaints of bullying come from these institutions.

Melvin had a tough time in Buffalo, and many young people can relate to his struggles. Mello was one of them. He had experienced some tough times in the past, and this situation reminded him of those memories.

Mello, who is quite petite at four feet six inches, shared more of his story with WGRZ News in October of 2022. He spoke about how he was bullied in his previous school because of his height, and how this experience made him want to ensure nobody else goes through the same thing.

Even though Melvin appeared to be handling the teasing at school well, Mello knew that it was affecting him deeply. He could tell that the teasing was causing Melvin pain, and it made him feel upset to see someone have to go through that. 

Mello was struggling to hold back his emotions about the bullying his friend Melvin was facing. During a FaceTime conversation with his mother, Anita James, in October of 2022, he couldn’t contain it anymore and broke down in tears.

Mello asked whether they could go buy Melvin some shoes. At first, Anita wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. But as the day went on, she realized that Mello was serious about it and wasn’t just saying it on a whim.

Anita was taken aback by what Mello had said to her. In an interview with The Washington Post, she said that it was rare to see a child be so selfless and considerate of others at such a young age.

Mello had a simple philosophy on how to treat others: he believed in treating others the way he would want to be treated. He felt that he had more than enough for himself and thought it would be best to extend kindness to others instead.

Mello was feeling excited as he picked out a pair of black and white Nike Dunks. He was a bit worried about the price, but he didn’t let that dampen his spirits. He happily handed over $135 of his savings to the cashier.

The next day, Mello gave Melvin the shoe box. When Melvin saw what was inside, he was completely taken aback. Melvin expressed his excitement and gratitude to the Washington Post, saying he felt happy and surprised.

Bryant Brown Jr. was in class when he spotted Melvin with a sneaker box. Curious, he asked Melvin what was inside. Once Melvin shared the story, Bryant couldn’t help but get emotional.

Bryant felt that Melvin’s story and Mello’s kind gesture deserved to be shared with the world. So, in October of 2022, he wrote a post about it on Facebook. The post received an overwhelming response, with thousands of likes, shares, and comments. The post was going viral, and it wasn’t long before TV cameras started showing up.

Mello and Melvin’s story had a far reach beyond just social media. They were even invited to be interviewed on WIVBTV’s program called “Sweet Buffalo” which focuses on highlighting kind-hearted individuals in the Buffalo community. During their interview, they shared their story and how Mello’s act of kindness has impacted Melvin’s life.

The anchors of Sweet Buffalo were so touched by Mello and Melvin’s story that they felt they had to do something special for them. With that, they presented the boys with some Buffalo Bills merchandise, and to the boys’ surprise, they received two additional pairs of brand-new sneakers.

The surprise for Mello and Melvin wasn’t over yet, as they were presented with the ultimate gift, two PS5 gaming systems. Mello was overwhelmed with emotions and burst into tears upon seeing the gift. He was so surprised that he couldn’t even find the words to express his gratitude.

The story of Mello and Melvin’s friendship and acts of kindness quickly spread far and wide. News outlets picked up the story and shared it with their audience, highlighting the impact of a small act of kindness.

Wesley shared his thoughts with The Washington Post. He said that he found the story of Mello and Melvin’s friendship and acts of kindness to be very touching. He hoped that the story would inspire other children to be kinder to each other and to realize that small acts of kindness can go a long way.

Bryant, Melvin’s father Wesley, and Mello’s mother Anita have since started an anti-bullying campaign. They wanted to ensure that the kindness and support shown by Mello will continue to live on. Bryant shared with The Washington Post that he believes Bullying happens every single day. and that they’re going to do everything they can to prevent it, and make sure Mello’s helping hand always lives on.