AMARILLO, TEXAS: A Texas couple touched many hearts after they raised nearly $40k for helping a bullied neighborhood boy, who knocked on their door looking for friends. Brennan Ray and Angell Hammersmith launched a GoFundMe page on Wednesday, July 5 in a heart-warming effort to help Shayden Walker have a better summer.
The fundraiser was started after Ray posted a saddening video of Walker gathering the courage to approach the couple’s Amarillo home and expressing his need for friends by asking whether they knew of any kids between the ages of 11 and 12. In the doorbell camera footage, Ray could be heard saying ''What's up man?'' as Walker, wearing a Jaws t-shirt, approaches his door. Shuffling nervously on the front steps, the youngster then replies ''Hi. I just wanted to see if you knew any kids around like, 11 or 12, maybe, because I need some friends. Like, really bad.''
‘They’re bullies to me'
Ray then gave Walker the address of a home further down the road where he said he knew two children lived. But Walker revealed that he is not friends with the two kids anymore as '‘they’re bullies to me.'' He then proceeds to ask Ray if he has any children, to which the homeowner replies that he has, but his daughter is only two years old. ''Oh, OK that's great,'' Walker replies, adding ''I love two-year-olds to be honest, they're just the most cutest things I have ever known,'' telling how he enjoyed playing with his younger sister when she was two.’' Instead, Ray agrees to greet the young man anytime he comes through town.
Walker ends by saying, "Ok, you have a good day," and then he leaves. The couple then shared another video where Walker can be seen approaching their house just over 30 minutes earlier but shying away. In that post, Ray noted that he and his wife have decided to start a fundraising campaign in the hope help Walker ‘get a dope gaming set up, some school clothes [and] amusement park tickets.’ 'Let's come together and show him he's got some friends,’ the couple added. The GoFundMe page raised more than $37,000 for the young boy before his mother asked to stop the donation on Friday.
‘Our kids need genuine kindness’
Walker's stepfather now describes the teen as a "totally different kid" than he was only last week. The young boy also stated in a video shared to his father's TikTok page that "Y'all have touched my heart so much, it's just literally to the point where I want to cry." The family said they are not seeking any money, as they shared how Shayden enjoys playing Fortnite, his PlayStation, and the game Rainbow Six Siege. Ray’s TikTok has since garnered more than 66 million views, with netizens commenting that they hope Walker soon finds some 'REAL friends soon'.
''This kid, like many, is special and just wants a place in this world... this family shared a memorable moment with the world and it was beautiful!!! Our kids need genuine kindness,’' one man commented, according to Daily Mail. After ending their GoFundMe campaign on Friday, Ray and Hammersmith shared a second video in which they expressed shock at the amount of support they had received, noting that their initial funding target was only $7,000 in total. ''We're thankful we're able to do this for this young man and we're thankful for y'all,'' the couple said, with Hammersmith noting they were trying to set up a time to meet with the boy.
