Golf superstar and 14-time major champion Tiger Woods, wrote a touching letter to a teenage boy who was being bullied for his speech problem.
The boy, only known as ‘Dillon,’ was said to have been trying out for a football team, but later on backed out because he was being bullied for the way he spoke. He even reportedly went as far as trying to end his life, because he felt constantly tormented for his speech problem.
Woods, who also struggled with stuttering in his younger years, decided to write a letter of encouragement to Dillon after he became aware of his story.
Dillon’s story was first made known when his mother tried to reach out to Swedish Solheim Cup player Sophie Gustafson, who also suffers from the same speech problem.
Gustafson decided to share Dillon’s story on Golf Digest, where it was published April 30.
Not long after that, Woods, who himself had to undergo classes to improve his speech, wrote Dillon a letter. He wrote:
“I know what it’s like to be different and to sometimes not fit in. I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help me, and I finally learned to stop.”
Woods gave words of encouragement to Dillon by telling the young teen of the struggles that he also had to face himself, and how he dealt with them. He told:
“But I didn’t let that stop me, and I think it even inspired me to work harder. know you can do that too. You have a great family, and big fans like me on your side. Be well and keep fighting. I’m certain you’ll be great at anything you do.”
Gustafson showed her gratitude to Woods for his effort by thanking him on Twitter.
Source: 4 NBC Washington: Tiger Woods Writes Letter to Boy Bullied for Stuttering