When a group of teen girls were caught on video mocking 12 year old Devarjaye DJ Daniel at a gas station for wearing his police officer uniform, dancing around him and yelling “Arrest us!” with complete disrespect, people’s reaction was swift disapproval at such egregious bullying. DJ is an honorary police officer with hundreds of agencies around the country who wears his uniform proudly despite living with terminal cancer, and he held his face in his hands during what he and his father Theodis called a disturbing incident. His dad was at the station talking to someone when he saw what was happening and stepped in to intervene, but the father and son chose a more educational response than an aggressive one that would transform the situation completely.
DJ responded with remarkable maturity by explaining that he’s like a 40 year old and doesn’t have feelings that get hurt easily, choosing to remain calm and silent instead of making impulsive moves during the confrontation. Rather than seeking revenge, DJ and his dad patiently explained to the girls his cancer diagnosis and the 13 surgeries that have caused his scars, letting them learn his story and understand why he became a cop to teach people to stand up for themselves. By the time they left the gas station, the girls were treating DJ with respect and even calling him “Officer DJ,” with one caller reaching out to apologize after the video went viral. Since the incident, DJ has been honored by even more police precincts and was invited by the president to be an honorary member of the Secret Service at a joint session of Congress, proving that not letting bullies get to you and focusing on education instead of retaliation can make a positive difference for everyone involved.
