'I will do the best I can to fix this situation': 15-year-old sends apology letter to student he beat up
A 16-year-old junior at Wakefield High School in Raleigh, N.C., was playing basketball during gym class when he fouled another student. According to his mother, Ashley Williams-Marble, Wood Williams apologized and attempted to go back down the court to be on offense. Ashley says that’s when another student grabbed him from behind and beat him up.
“He was sucker beaten,” Ashley told ABC 11. “I mean he didn’t even know it was coming. And he said he doesn’t even remember. He completely blacked out. He was hit to the ground. He was apparently kicked a couple times too because he’s got some injuries to his stomach. And he was beaten so bad his nose is broken in five places.”
Later, the principal at Wakefield forwarded a letter from the 15-year-old boy who attacked Wood on the basketball court.
“I am apologizing to you for my actions,” the student wrote. “My actions were not acceptable and I should have made better choices. I hope you can forgive me for my bad choices. I understand you are not happy at this moment and I do feel great guilt for what I did. I did not realize my own strength and as a result, I hurt someone who did not deserve it. As I said before, I hope you can accept my apology. I will do the best I can to fix this situation.”
Ashley understood and appreciated the student’s apology. “He’s probably hurting too. And he’s human. It takes a brave person to, you know, to say that you’re wrong and admit and apologize,” she told ABC 11.
The mom wrote her own letter responding to the young man: “Everyone makes mistakes, we learn from them, & we grow from them. Hopefully, we can help put a stop to all the unnecessary violence in our schools today.”
Ashley shared that there was a lot of heartbreak and physical suffering over the incident, and she prays for the other student. “You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t hurting now too. We all are family in Christ,” she wrote, “let’s all treat each other that way in every one of our actions.”
She went on to write, “Spread love, not hate, give hugs, not hits, and most of all, give respect to everyone. I sincerely thank you for your apology. Remember, a bad choice doesn’t make you a bad person.”
It’s a bit of wisdom that many will appreciate.
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