Blind High School Student Thanks The ‘Hero’ Boy Who Jumped In And Stopped A Bully From Beating Him Up

by Greg Campbell | October 13, 2015 12:34 pm

It takes a real piece of work to beat-up a blind kid. Thankfully, when a student saw such a coward, he jumped-in. now, the blind boy is singing his praises.[1]

ZPine3[2]

A blind California teen has publicly thanked the ‘hero’ high school student who jumped in and stopped a bully from beating him up.

The video of Austin Higley, 16, being rescued by Cody Pines, 17, at Huntington Beach High School quickly went viral and has now been watched more than 26million times.

Higley, who is visually impaired and registered blind, has known Pines since elementary school.

He was able to tell his friend how grateful he was during an interview with Dr. Phil[3].

‘Honestly, I feel like you saved my life,’ Higley told Pines, before the two boys embraced.

The footage of the incident shows a boy apparently aiming punches at Higley’s head. Pines quickly runs to his friend’s rescue and knocks his alleged attacker to the ground with a single punch. He also asks him why he was ‘hitting a blind kid’.

The 30-second video ends with a warning to the bully: ‘I swear to God, if you f*** with this kid again, I will f*** you up.’

Pines says he hopes what he did – and the attention it has received – might make other bullies think twice.

‘Think about what you’re doing whenever you’re bullying someone,’ he told Dr Phil. ‘That’s another person’s life.

‘Could you imagine if someone else ruined your whole life by doing this?’

Dr Phil also praised what Pines did and acknowledged how much worse the situation could have been. ‘Austin could have gotten hit ten more times or this kid could have gotten hit once,’ he explained.

‘It was very measured. [Cody] stopped what was happening and then attended to his friend.’

Dr Phil also said he respected the restraint of Pines and how he didn’t continue to hit the attacker.

‘He didn’t exploit the situation,’ he said. ‘That seemed to be a very mature thing to do.’

Higley said there was ‘no way’ he started the fight – an allegation made by his ‘attacker’ after the video went viral.

The ‘bully’ tweeted about the incident: ‘I never knew the kid was blind he came up to me and tried to fight me so I fought him now [sic] Have 8 stitches in me ear I hope everyone is happy.’

He was charged with misdemeanor battery and was released to his parents. Pines was not arrested.

Pines, a high school junior, said that the alleged attacker also apologized at school.

Police officer Jennifer Marlatt told My News LA that the incident did not appear to have any connection with the victim’s disability but said the victim and his attacker ‘have a history of not getting along’.

The officer said the argument had begun after the victim walked past his tormentor, and quickly escalated into a physical fight.

Higley said the boy had picked up ‘a little bit’ in the past and definitely knew he was blind.

The full Dr. Phil episode will be broadcast on Wednesday. It is the first interview the two friends have done together.

Last month Pines said he didn’t think twice before jumping into action.

‘He’s my friend and I know his problems and that’s what made me so mad,’ he told ABC[4].

Students told KCAL9[5] that Higley was attacked for no reason.

Grant Morels said: ‘I saw like a half circle around a group of kids and I wanted to see what was up. And I see this kid like getting wailed on by another kid.’

Huntington Beach High School district said last month it was reviewing the incident. It has not suspended Pines.

‘In the Education Code it is a school district’s responsibility to protect student records, as well as to be of personal support to their families,’ the school district said in a statement.

She continued: ‘We want to thank the family of the student who came to the aid of his fellow classmate, as they have granted us permission to share the following information:

‘Their student has not been suspended over past two school days. He has been eligible to attend school with all privileges both Thursday and Friday of this week, and this eligibility will continue.’

It was originally reported that Pines was removed from the football team after the incident. Pines has not, however, played on the school’s team since last spring.

This is a terrific story and it speaks to an important lesson: those who claim that violence never solves anything are naïve. Violence is, at times, the only answer to a bully and this is a prime example of when violence is necessary.

Endnotes:
  1. the blind boy is singing his praises.: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3269659/Honestly-saved-life-Blind-high-school-student-thanks-hero-boy-jumped-stopped-bully-beating-up.html
  2. [Image]: https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ZPine3.jpg
  3. Dr. Phil: http://cbspressexpress.com/cbs-television-distribution/shows/dr-phil/video
  4. ABC: http://abc7.com/news/hero-student-speaks-out-after-attack-on-blind-teen-in-huntington-beach/1003362/
  5. KCAL9: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/09/24/police-investigate-viral-video-of-apparent-fight-at-huntington-beach-high-school/

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