When a classmate posted on social media calling her a “fat whale,” this brave teen turned that act of cyberbullying into an online effort to save real whales.
Dannie McMillan, who goes by Dee, discovered a Twitter account called “Dee the fat whale” featuring a picture of her with a whale over her face.
FIND MORE EXAMPLES OF GREAT KIDS WITH OUR APP—> Download FREE for Android and iOS
On the verge of tears, she reached out to her role model, the plus-size model Laura Lee. When Dee remarked that she probably should make a t-shirt to show the bullies hadn’t gotten to her, Laura cheered the idea as a way to turn the experience into something good.
Dee set up an online page selling custom t-shirts exclaiming “Dee the Fat Whale Saves the Whales”, along with a GoFundMe page to raise money for the California-based Save the Whales.
WATCH: Girl With Half Her Brain Becomes Speech Pathologist as Adult
Lee promoted the campaign among her 25,000 Facebook followers, with a message: “So happy she took this negative act and turned it into something Amazing! Love not hate! Keep Shining Mama!”
In a little over two weeks, Dee’s raised more than $2,000 for Save the Whales — and the Twitter account mocking the teen has been taken down.
I don't do well with Bullying, and when this young beautiful little mama messaged me to tell me what had happened to her...
Posted by Laura Lee - Model on Sunday, February 28, 2016
Dee says the whole experience, and working with Lee, has inspired her beyond the damage done by the cyber-bullying.
“She’s like my size and she’s beautiful,” Dee says of Lee. “Just because I’m big doesn’t mean I can’t be beautiful.”
WATCH: Dad’s Touching Anti-Bullying Song for Daughters is Now a Global Inspiration
She’s already done a beautiful job of turning a cheap insult into thousands of dollars to help endangered and threatened animals.
(WATCH the video from KCEN News below) – Photos: Booster; KCEN
Inspire Your Friends and Help Out Dee: Share It…