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7th Grader Buys New Shoes For Bullied Classmate

November 3, 2022

This is a heartwarming story of two seventh grade students, a pair of sneakers, and an act of kindness.

When Romello "Mello" Early saw people picking on his classmate Melvin Anderson over his old worn-out shoes, it really affected him.

So, Romello asked his mom if he could buy Melvin new shoes and he gave them to him the next day at school.

The dean of Buffalo Creek Academy shared the story of Mello's act of kindness on Facebook.

Melo and Melvin / Credit: Bryant Brown Jr.

"My student Melo told me he was tired of other students picking on Melvin about his shoes. Melo used his allowance and bought Melvin some shoes. This is what I live for, be that helping hand," Bryant Brown, Jr. wrote.

"I could tell it was upsetting him," Romello told WGRZ. "It just put a real bad ache in my stomach to see somebody have to go through that, and to be to be picked on just based off appearance."

"I had saved up my allowance, and so I asked my mom to take me to the shoe store to get Melvin some shoes, and the next day I came and gave them to him," he added.

"I'm really appreciative of what he did for me," Melvin told the local news outlet. "I'm doing chores at home so I can earn some money to try and pay him back for what...what he did for me."

Romello's mother is also overjoyed.

"It's not often that you see children give up their allowance to someone else and that let me know, Romello was protecting and trying to change the narrative for his friend Melvin," Anita James told FOX News. "To be so passionate at 12 years old really says a lot, but Romello is passionate in all aspects of his life family, basketball and friends."