A 10-year-old boy who was mocked for his Tony Stark costume has captured hearts around the world after he decided to ignore the bullies and wear the outfit to his school’s Halloween party.
Jill Struckman, 45, from Missouri, took to Facebook last week to share photos of her son Evan proudly showing off his costume, which was modeled off of Robert Downey Jr.’s depiction of the superhero in the Iron Man movies.
However, she later revealed in a heartbreaking follow-up post that the fifth-grader called her crying from school because some kids told him he looked ‘stupid’ in his costume.
Ready for Halloween: Jill Struckman, 45, from Missouri, took to Facebook last week to share photos of her son Evan proudly showing off his Tony Stark costume
Heartbreaking: The mom later revealed that the fifth-grader called her crying from school because some kids told him he looked ‘stupid’ in his costume
Earlier that morning, Evan was the picture of confidence when he posed front of his home in his white button-down shirt and gray vest. To complete his Tony Stark look, he wore his hair parted to the side, glasses, and a fake goatee.
However, he immediately felt embarrassed and unsure of himself after he was told he looked stupid and others were going to make fun of him.
Struckman explained on Facebook that she got a call from Evan about 20 minutes after he left on the bus. She noted that the kids who bullied him over his costume weren’t even dressed up for the party.
‘Evan got to school and immediately went to the bathroom and washed his face,’ she wrote. ‘When he called he was crying and soooo hurt that he didn’t even want to stay for his party.’
Lookalike: Evan wore a gray vest, glasses, and a fake goatee, a look that was modeled off of Robert Downey Jr.’s depiction of the superhero in the Iron Man movies
Change of heart: Struckman took her son to Starbucks, and after they talked through his feelings, he decided he wanted to wear his costume to the school party after all
The mom, who picked her son up from school, shared a snapshot of him sitting in the backseat of her car with his face makeup washed off, his hair mussed, and his eyes red from crying.
‘Here’s what my little Tony Stark looks like now,’ she explained. ‘We both have swollen eyes from crying and are on our way to try to find ice cream. Kids need to understand that WORDS hurt.’
She told Today that Evan kept apologizing to her in the car because he had removed his makeup at school.
‘He kept saying, “We worked so hard on it,”‘ she said. ‘He was really thinking about how I would feel, which tells you a lot about him.’
Amazing: While Evan was hesitant to return to school at first, he had a wonderful rest of his day
Happy ending: The mom shared that they have received supportive messages from people around the world, including Egypt, Mexico, and the Philippines, saying her ‘mind is blown’
But the story has a happy ending.
When Struckman took Evan for Frappuccinos at Starbucks, they talked through his feelings. He decided that he didn’t want to miss the party. They stopped home to redo his makeup, and then she drove him back to school.
‘He was a little scared walking back into school,’ she told Today. ‘But he had a great rest of the day. And he was so proud of himself. It was absolutely a defining moment in his life. If he hadn’t gone back, it would have broken his spirit.’
She added on Facebook that they have received supportive messages from people around the world, including Egypt, Mexico, and the Philippines, saying her ‘mind is blown.’
‘Thanks for all the sweet words (and offers to beat up 10-year-olds) lol,’ she wrote in one of her posts. ‘I do appreciate you all.’