The tallest man in America, George Bell, visited Albert Harris Elementary School on Tuesday morning to discuss bullying and give students some pointers about how to deal with the impact.
“Bullying has become a big issue in our schools. A lot of the children have no idea how to handle it,” said Bell.
Students learned that there are different types of bullying such as verbal bullying, physical bullying, and cyberbullying. Verbal and physical bullying occur in person while cyberbullying takes place online, primarily through social media platforms.
Bell mentioned that bullying typically starts at a young age, and he encouraged students to reach out to parents, teachers, and other trusted adults.
Bell was inspired to speak out against bullying after an incident that took place in Hampton, Virginia near his hometown of Portsmouth, Virginia.
“A local kid took her life, she was a prominent student that had the chance to go to college with a full scholarship,” he said. Bell indicated cyberbullying was the cause of the incident.
“I saw that story on the news and it hit me hard, I felt like I wanted to do something,” said Bell.
He hopes to educate students on the resources they have available and to take advantage of those resources if they are faced with bullying. He stressed the importance of telling someone if you are dealing with bullying.
“You must open your mouth and tell somebody, that’s the only way to counteract bullying,” Bell said.
He said that his height prevented bullying from being an issue for him.
“I’ve been tall all my life,” he said.
Bell stands 7 feet, 8 inches tall, and wears a size 19 shoe. A gentle giant, Bell was also a former basketball player with both the Harlem Globetrotters and the Harlem Wizards. He currently lives in Durham, North Carolina when he’s not traveling.
