Boy, 11, Bullied For Loving ‘My Little Pony,’ Attempts Suicide [Help Needed!]

Taking after his uncle, 11-year-old Michael Morones, of North Carolina, was a self-proclaimed “Brony,” finding comfort and solace in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, especially in the character of Pinkie Pie. Morones has ADHD, and he found the pony very relatable.

He wore Pinkie Pie and MLP:FIM paraphernalia to school, where his classmates would tease him and call him “gay” for liking a show “meant for girls.”

His parents were supportive of Morones and his interests and they say they didn’t care if their son turned out to be gay or not.

“He said to us that the other kids were telling him he was gay for loving Pinkie Pie and they were trying to make him feel ashamed for being gay.  We said that we didn’t care if he was gay or straight; he was our son and we would love him,” said his stepfather Shannon Suttle.

While the bullying bothered him, Morones immersed himself in other activities like violin lessons and reading the Bible. But one afternoon, a few weeks ago, Morones wanted to come straight home after school, instead of going to the local Boys and Girls Club.

Then on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014, Morones attempted to hang himself.

Michael is in the pediatric intensive care unit in a North Carolina hospital. He has damage to his brain, his heart, and his lungs and has not yet fully awakened. There is healing potential, but the extent of that potential is unknown. His family is holding vigil, praying that the swelling in his brain will go down and the child will become coherent.  A tracheotomy is scheduled for this week (it occurred on Tuesday).

The outpouring of the geek community has been huge: The 501st Legion has contacted the family and Andrea Libman, the voice of Pinkie Pie, had the entire MLP cast record messages to Morones.

The Morones family is struggling with their son’s medical bills. The CEO of Play Team Trivia set up a recovery fund for little Michael and donated $500. The family has since created a GoFundMe account, the funds of which will not only go to bills but to funding brain injury research and bullying prevention.

Let’s show Michael that he is not alone.

[via Chicago Now]