SHERWOOD, Ark. (KTHV) - With a rare condition that makes him look different, one 10-year-old from Sherwood has dealt with bullying his entire life.
Last year we introduced you to Alex Bruorton, whose story quickly went viral. THV11's Erika Ferrando caught up with him to find out 'Where are we now?'
"Its pretty simple you just draw on the X's," Alex said.
It's easy to have confidence like this when you know hundreds, thousands, maybe even millions of people have your back.
"Now my story's all around the world," he said.
Especially when your fan club started with a 2-mile caravan of bikers.
RELATED HEADLINES | Arkansas bikers rally behind Sherwood boy bullied over rare condition
"It made me feel better about myself," he said.
10-year-old Alex Bruorton always made good grades, until he started failing 2nd grade last year.
"A kid was bullying me at school," Alex said. "It wasn't so bad at first but then it got worse and worse."
Bullying wasn't anything new.
"My entire life I've had to deal with bullies," he said. "Six years ago when I would go to the park, these other kids would play a game called run away from the monster, and I was always the monster. Kids in those grades can be pretty cruel."
In October of 2017, he stopped wanting to go to school.
"He wouldn't get on the school bus, wouldn't get up, wouldn't get dressed," said Alex's mother, Nichole Bruorton.
Alex has a rare condition called Cloves. It causes everything to grow and not stop.
"He developed his adult teeth when he was four," Nichole said.
Nichole told her friend about her son being bullied, leading to a Facebook post asking for friends to take him to school.
"That post went everywhere," she said.
Motorcycle clubs, police officers and veterans groups all joined in.
"Even the guys that don't get along were there," Nichole said.
That support sparked a change in Alex.
"He benefited from it enough to where he was comfortable to talk, and he wasn't before," she said.
Over the last year, Alex's story spread like wildfire.
"One of his videos has 25 million views," said Nichole.
He didn't just start talking about bullying with his mom. His Facebook page becoming a resource and support page, with constant messages.
"Everyday," Alex said about his home becoming a safe place for kids, "they would come here and ask for help we had a lot of police here."
He's open to talking about his condition, and his experience with bullying. Alex was even invited to speak to a local girl scout troop.
"But what ended up happening is he stood up there and talked about his bullying a little more in depth than he had before," said Nichole, "and in doing that he opened that conversation up for those girls to turn around and share their stories."
Alex is still in therapy, but now in school through Arkansas Virtual Academy.
"Now I'm getting A's and B's every time," Alex said.
"There's something maybe big coming down the pike," said Nichole.
No projects are set in stone, but Alex has been approached by big names including production crews for medical shows.
"Alex has a potential book offer from a very successful man," Nichole said. And maybe his story will reach the right people.
"Maybe some scientist would hear about it and maybe make a cure," said Alex. Maybe it's a story anyone can learn from. "Maybe it will tell bullies to quit," he said. And maybe Alex is the voice for kids who thought they were the only ones.
"I think by sharing his story and him putting himself out there and wanting to do some of the things he's done, I think it's opening the door to say 'Hey that happened to me, I know how that kid feels,'" said Nichole.
Alex has kept in touch with the bikers who organized the rally last year. In fact, he told us they invited him to a Christmas party next month.
If you want to learn more about Alex, visit their Facebook page at Our Life, The Story of Alexander Bruorton.
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