As part of its NFL Characters Unite public service program, New York
Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz helps a gay bullied teen overcome his
fears about a place that for him was a source of pain and rejection: the
locker room.
Writes USA Network:
In NFL Characters Unite, Cruz meets
19-year old Joey Kemmerling, who came out when he was a middle school
student. Joey was relentlessly bullied for years because of his sexual
orientation. Classmates called him hateful names, physically hurt him
and even threatened to light him on fire. The school locker room was a
particularly painful and dangerous place for Joey, as much of the
taunting took place there. At one point in high school, the situation
got so bad that he contemplated suicide. With the support of his mother,
Joey was able to move past the homophobia and harassment he experienced
and he decided to use his voice to help stop bullying. He launched a
youth-led anti-bullying organization, became active with the nonprofit
GLSEN and has spoken to groups of students, educators and even members
of Congress.
Now, thanks to Victor Cruz, he gets an
opportunity to clear another hurdle: revisiting a locker room, a place
that still conjures up painful memories. Cruz takes Joey on a tour of
the New York Giants locker room to help him put the agony of his past
truly behind him. Joey gains closure he needs to continue on his path to
full recovery and learns to Never Say Never to overcoming his fears.
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