Hi,

When I was younger in the 6th-8th grade in 2003-2004 (currently 23) I was a victim of bullying and of physical abuse by kids at my middle school for coming out as a lesbian and for being overweight... I had 4 major bullies in middle school and they caused me nothing but hell and grief to the point I wanted to commit suicide.... Yesterday out of the blue 1 of the 4 bullies came forward and gave me a heartfelt apology for how she treated me in middle school...... I would really like to share this story with kids and to show them that even years later some bullies do apologize and it does give closure to those they bullied.... Her name is Mandy (name changed)

Mandy: Hey Liz from time to time i remember being mean/bullying to you in middle school. I want to tell you how sorry i am for that and how much i regret doing so to this day. I was a dumb kid trying to fit in at the expense of others and i just want you to know it deeply bothers me to this day that I did so. I am so sorry if i ever caused any pain you are a beautiful strong person and deserve the best just like anybody else.....

Me: Why did you tell me this now?? After so many years.... Are you telling me this now as another joke or to poke fun at me for believing you??? You, and 3 others where my worst tormentors in school, you all made me want to kill myself (which is why i moved away after middle school)..... You all treated me bad just because i came out as gay, and that i was overweight.... I don’t understand why u tell me now....

Mandy: No i truly mean it i was hurting on the inside myself. I'm so sorry for the pain i caused. I was angry as a child it took me YEARS to get over this anger and to find myself i hated myself when I was younger i was just taking it out on you. I am so sorry Elizabeth i can’t take back what I did but I can at least tell you how much i regret it and how much it will always bother me about myself, it is what I deserve. You have been in my subconscious for a very long time i don’t know why I didn't say something before maybe because I was too coward too or because of the shame i felt for treating you like that. I was watching a documentary on bullying and it literally brought tears to my eyes how these kids were being treated and what happened because of it. I thought of you again and figured it would only be right for you to know that i recognize what I did and i am not proud of it.

Me: Well thank you very much for coming forward.... At least 1 of 4 has.... And the documentary is called BULLY.... We showed it here in my town to everyone and to all the schools.... I and several others talked about our childhood and being bullied.... Thank you for some closure though...

Mandy: Your welcome i wish i would have done it sooner i was just a stupid kid trying to fit in none of it was ever true about you.