An unwanted aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance is known as bullying. Hence, it is not a healthy scenario for a young child to go through. Out of all the stories, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps faced the same problems during his childhood.

Before he became an Olympic champion, even Phelps went through a rough patch at school. He was the object of bullying from other school children. When he was young, they diagnosed Phelps with ADHD, and he also had protruding ears. This image makes an easy target for the bullies in school. However, at one moment, he snapped!

Michael Phelps responds to bullies!

Helping her son to be confident, Phelps wore baseball hats to cover his ears, according to his mother, Deborah Phelps. But, it did not work. The other kids swatted his ear and made fun of him. Going through a rough patch is unhealthy for teenagers, let alone Phelps. Michael explained his thought process in an interview and how it led to him losing control. “It was very frustrating at the time,” said Phelps. 

Debbie recalled, “I always told him to be the stronger person and walk away. He got to the point where he hauled off and decked somebody and got suspended from school.” With Debbie not appreciating the actions he showcased, Michael clarified how it got to a point where he reacted without thinking. It comes across as a fair point for people who are subject to teasing and name-calling for a long time in their childhood or teenage years. 

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Back to school after suspension, Phelps ignored those taunts but never forgot them. When some people achieve greatness, it turns the tables, and people want to be close to you. Phelps became perplexed on why the same people, who teased him, started talking to him after his achievements. 

Phelps stood his ground

An incident that occurred back in school is the perfect way to describe how to treat bullies. Debbie remembered an incident between Michael and a kid when he made the Olympic team at 15. The kid approached to meet him, but Phelps never recollected knowing him after repeated questioning. As the kid went away, his mother asked, “You knew him, didn’t you?”

Phelps explained how that senior picked on him at high school and never wanted to talk because he turned into an Olympian. Sometimes, one’s childhood gets affected so severely that the word forgiveness gets brushed aside. Bullying can cause psychological impacts on a person, and without a doubt, it is not a good practice for any age group.

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