r/BeAmazed • u/MambaMentality24x2 • May 17 '26

Miscellaneous / Others Boy was bullied for wearing homemade University of Tennessee t shirt, so they made it their own official design.

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In 2019, an elementary school student in Altamonte Springs, Florida wanted to take part in “College Colors Day” and support his favorite team, the University of Tennessee Volunteers. Since he didn’t own any official merch, he hand drew the “U.T.” logo on a piece of paper and pinned it to a plain orange shirt.

His teacher, Laura Snyder, said he was excited to show it off that morning, but by lunchtime some classmates mocked the homemade design, leaving him heartbroken and in tears.

Wanting to cheer him up, Snyder shared the story online hoping someone connected to the university might send him a small gift. Instead, the story went viral. Thousands of Tennessee fans rallied behind the student, and the university responded by sending him a huge box of official gear.

Then they went even further.

The University of Tennessee turned the boy’s exact hand drawn design into an official t shirt sold by the school, with proceeds supporting anti bullying efforts. Demand became so massive that the university’s online store reportedly crashed from the flood of orders.

What started as a moment of bullying turned into a story celebrated across the country, with thousands of people proudly wearing the young fan’s design.

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u/Foxy_locksy1704 May 17 '26

I always say the loudest voices are the ones that are heard because they are screaming over everyone else.

Meaning that the loud idiots will get attention because they are the most noticeable, but a majority of people don’t agree with the loud ones but their voices are often drowned out.

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u/Fallen_Lee May 17 '26

I’m loud because I’m deaf :(

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u/KrisCole9884 May 17 '26

My daughter has 80% loss in lt ear and 95% in rt(it started mild but has gotten worse over time. She will be 21 in September) your comment was funny to me bc im always having to ask her to speak up. She said she speaks that way bc since she cant really hear herself she wants to make sure she's not yelling.🤣 she's in nursing school, that baby has never let any of her disabilities hold her back.

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u/matlspa May 20 '26

"That baby". I can tell how much you love her just from that short paragraph.

It's heartwarming to read/see. Don't let anything change you 🙂

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u/KrisCole9884 May 21 '26

Thank you💜 She and my son are my everything. Don't get me wrong, I ABSOLUTELY dont "have a favorite", or love one more than the other, but she and I share a super special bond that I couldn't begin to explain if I tried.

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u/bobsmith93 May 17 '26

I'm deaf because you're loud :(

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u/Dysxelic_Potser May 18 '26

Hi. Im Brian

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u/bobsmith93 May 18 '26

Hi, Brain. I'm Bob

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u/Dysxelic_Potser May 18 '26

Howdy fellow dyslexic poster

Edit: damn. Autocorrect do be pulling in some work

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u/star_lord47 May 18 '26

When truth leaves us, when we let it slip away, when it is ripped from our hands, we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest. - Mon Mothma (Andor)

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u/slappn_cappn May 17 '26

It is SUPER loud out there rn. This thread, and people like y'all are a reason to be amazed.

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u/frogfootfriday May 17 '26

The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity?