What would you feel if all of a sudden, a random someone walks into your front door asking for “friends”?
Would that be strange or heartbreaking or both?
Well, that’s exactly what happened to a Texas resident named Brennan Ray with his unexpected yet beautiful encounter with an 11-year-old boy named Shayden Walker.
Searching for new friends
The day before the 4th of July, Shayden approached his neighbor’s house, using their front door security camera to initiate a heartfelt conversation. In the video, he expressed a longing for friendship, specifically seeking children around the ages of 11 or 12, emphasizing his strong desire to connect with new friends.
However, when his neighbor, Brennan Ray, mentioned that there were kids nearby, Shayden shared that they were no longer his friends because according to him, they were bullies. Despite this setback, Shayden and Brennan discussed the possibility of Shayden playing with Brennan’s own children. Sadly, Brennan’s daughter was still a toddler, making it difficult for them to become playmates.
Touched by their interaction, Brennan decided to share the video on TikTok, hoping to reach Shayden’s family and gain some support. In the caption, he emphasized the importance of engaging in conversations with others to understand the challenges they face. Brennan described Shayden as a well-mannered, kind, and brave young man, appealing to the TikTok community to help Shayden find new friends.
Surprisingly, the TikTok video blew up like a nuclear bomb
The post’s impact went far beyond what Brennan had expected, as it quickly garnered nearly 70 million views and widespread attention. Shayden’s story struck a chord with people worldwide, leading to an outpouring of support.
Shayden’s struggles in forming connections with others were attributed to several diagnoses, including autism, oppositional defiant disorder, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, among others, as explained by his mother, Krishna Patterson. She emphasized the significance of understanding that these mental health conditions can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, affecting both children and adults.
Krishna shared that her son faced challenges in maintaining friendships and sometimes experienced “meltdowns” that involved crying and unintentional harm to himself and others. Unfortunately, these incidents sometimes led to Shayden being singled out and subjected to name-calling, which only worsened his sense of isolation.
Shayden’s visit to the Rays’ house was driven by his desperate need for new friends. He recalled the family because their dog had wandered into his yard a few months ago, and during the encounter, Shayden perceived them as wonderful people.
Domino effect
Following the TikTok video and the overwhelming support from compassionate individuals, Shayden began to feel a sense of positivity. The video not only helped him make new friends locally but also connected him with people from different parts of the world, including Hawaii, China, Australia, and England.
Initially, Krishna had worried that the video might subject Shayden to further ridicule. However, she was relieved and overjoyed to see people showing genuine compassion and support.
In response to people’s suggestions to do something special for Shayden, Brennan and his wife started a GoFundMe campaign. Astonishingly, the campaign raised over $37,000, which would support Shayden in pursuing his dreams, such as getting a gaming setup, school clothes, and amusement park tickets.
With his kind heart, Shayden expressed his intention to donate some of the funds to tornado relief groups, the war in Ukraine, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Additionally, the family planned to go on a vacation, a rare treat for Shayden since he was a toddler.
Overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, Krishna decided to close the GoFundMe campaign in less than 30 hours to ensure people didn’t spend their hard-earned money unnecessarily. She also emphasized Shayden’s desire for those who have been mistreated or engaged in harassing behavior to reach out to him. She explained that individuals who resort to bullying often carry unexpressed pain, and their actions can be an outlet for their suffering.
Being kind – always
Having experienced mistreatment himself, Shayden understands the impact of ridicule and the potential for lashing out. His story, shared in Brennan’s video, became a powerful message of kindness and acceptance. Brennan underlined the importance of giving everyone a chance, as one can never fully comprehend the internal battles that individuals may be facing.
In Shayden, Brennan sees a beautiful soul whose infectious happiness and smile make him a good-hearted kid despite the challenges he faces due to being on the autism spectrum. Their heartwarming encounter on TikTok not only brought joy to Shayden but also served as a reminder to the world of the significance of empathy and understanding for those who might find it harder to connect with others.
This beautiful story doesn’t only highlight the positive response of people to Shayden’s story, but more importantly, it tackles the effects of bullying on people, particularly kids. We should all be kind to everyone, it’s the first and most important step to being a true human being.
Watch the viral TikTok video below to see the beautiful encounter between Shayden and Brennan.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
@brennanray Its takes 2 seconds to make someones day, you never know what people are going through until you get a chance to talk to them. This young man is well mannered, kind, and brave. So tiktok can we help shayden make some friends???#fyp #bekind #nobullying #love #kindness #letschangetheworld ♬ original sound – Brennan Ray
