14/02/2025
A 12-year-old boy in Buffalo, New York, saw his classmate being bullied for his sneakers. So, he decided to buy his friend a new pair of shoes to help him out.
Bryant Brown the dean at Buffalo Creek Academy, said that students at the school, like many others, care a lot about sneakers. In fact, the more expensive the shoes, the higher a student’s status. "When you come to school, people look at your shoes before they even look at your face," Brown told CBS News.
Melvin Anderson, a seventh grader, didn’t have fancy sneakers and was often teased about his worn-out shoes. One day, he showed up to Brown’s class with a bright orange box. Brown asked who had bought the sneakers, and Melvin said, “Romello.”
Romello Early, another student in the class, was bothered by seeing Melvin being bullied. He went home one day, upset, and told his mom he wanted to help. "You can take away anything you're getting me for Christmas," Early said, "I just want to get him some shoes."
Romello used $135 from his savings to buy the shoes. He said it made him happy to see Melvin smile. Early’s next goal is to show others that shoes should bring people together, not tear them apart.
📸 Credit/Bryant Brown
