11-Year-Old Bullying Victim Turns To Music To Help Others
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An 11-year-old girl, bullied because of her weight, is turning her pain into action.
"The song is called 'High World' so you can stay somewhere positive," explained Emma Sophia Leak, an 11-year-old songwriter. "I felt people shouldn't get bullied because of the way that they look."
The 7th grader said she wrote the song based on her experiences being bullied in elementary school because of her weight, saying a boy did not invite her to his birthday party at an indoor play space.
"He said if I jumped into the ball pit, all of the balls would go flying everywhere [because of my weight], she said. "I was very hurt."
An 11 year-old girl is #bullied because of her weight. She turns pain into action and writes a song to inspire others. Only on @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/UagnNuY7lz
— Suzanne Le Mignot (@SuzanneLeMignot) July 2, 2018
She says from that experience, the song was born. Emma Sophia wrote the lyrics and created the melody to "High World," which is now on iTunes. The songwriter is donating the proceeds to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
"I felt people shouldn't get bullied because of the way that they look." Emma Sophia Leak, only on @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/jTmP1aFb0e
— Suzanne Le Mignot (@SuzanneLeMignot) July 2, 2018
"Nobody should ever make you feel like you should have to kill yourself because of the way somebody made you feel," she stated.
The 11-year-old's family owns and operates Leak & Sons Funeral Homes in Chicago.
"We have seen too many young people that we've had to bury due to suicide," Donna Leak, Emma Sophia's mother, stated. "Every single time, there's something in the background about them being bullied and picked on."
"We see this too often," Emma Sophia said. "I just wrote the song to inspire people."
Emma Sophia Leak hopes her song and donation effort positively helps others going through a tough time.
