A slew of celebrities are rallying around bullied school boy Keaton Jones after a video of the Knoxville, Tennessee, native was posted online over the weekend and went viral after he broke down in tears as he told his story of being bullied at school.
A flurry of famous faces have been rallying around Keaton since the video started getting a whole lot of attention on social media, and has prompted responses from huge names including Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry.
In a video posted to his Instagram account, Bieber encouraged Keaton to get in touch with him via a direct message and praised the school boy for his strength.
“The fact that he still has sympathy and compassion for other people when he’s going through it himself is a testament to who he is,” Justin said of Keaton in the video. “This kid is all-time. He’s a legend. Go check him out. His name’s Keaton.”
Bieber’s video has already been viewed more than 3.2 million times in the past 10 hours.
Katy Perry also posted the video to her social media accounts, writing, “This broke my [heart] today. Please be kind to one another.”
Also sharing praise for the bullied boy was Jennifer Lopez, as she uploaded the original video to her Instagram page alongside a lengthy and heartfelt caption.
Writing that seeing Keaton in pain broke her heart, Lopez said in part, “you are not alone Keaton we are here. There is no room in this world for bullying or hate of any kind. And we will overcome it with love.”
“You are the MAN #KeatonJones. That video is powerful and correct. Bullying is not okay,” added Terry Crews, while Star Wars actor Mark Hammill told Keaton not to waste time on the bullies and claimed that “they really don’t like themselves” and are “just jealous because you’re so smart & handsome.”
Country star Kelsea Ballerini, who also hails from Knoxville, even vowed to go to the lunchroom with Keaton to take on the bullies.
“Buddy next time I make it home to Knox I’m going to walk into that lunchroom with you and watch the bullies say they are sorry to you,” she tweeted alongside Jones’s emotional video. “You don’t deserve that. Keep your head up and continue to be kind… you will always come out on top. Sending a hug.”
Hi @Lakyn_Jones, could you pass this message along to Keaton? ❤ pic.twitter.com/3l8P4fKAqW
— Hailee Steinfeld (@HaileeSteinfeld) December 10, 2017
Actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld filmed a video for Jones in which she asked if the school boy would be her date for the upcoming Pitch Perfect 3 movie premiere, while, as Inquisitr previously reported, Chris Evans proposed a similar offer, asking Jones to attend the Avengers: Infinity War premiere with him.
Keaton’s heart-breaking video also caught the attention of Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown, who told the bullied boy via Twitter that she wants to be his friend and thinks he’s “freaking awesome.”
Posting the viral hashtag #IStandWithKeaton to Twitter, Demi Lovato, who’s been very outspoken about her campaign against bullying after revealing that bullying almost pushed her to suicide when she was younger, tweeted about the viral video. “Keaton baby, just know you’re not alone,” she wrote.
“There are so many people who come out of bullying so much stronger and you will be one of them!” Demi added. “God bless you sweetheart.”
DJ Zedd also offered to pay for flights and accommodation for Jones to be a guest at a show of his choice. “Big up for speaking up, buddy!!!” he tweeted, while reality star Todd Chrisley invited Keaton to appear on his show Chrisley Knows Best, saying that he knows the school kid can “change the world.”
Musician Charlie Puth also shared a message on social media, where he confessed that he too has been the victim of bullying.
“These weak and small minded people bullying you right now are no match for your advanced and brilliant mind,” the “Marvin Gaye” singer said in his lengthy message for the bullied boy on the 280-character site.
Charlie then added a message for anyone else in a similar situation to Keaton Jones. “If you’re afraid to go to school in a couple of hours and you’re in the same situation as Keaton, YOU can speak up!” he told anyone being bullied. “WE ARE ALL HERE FOR YOU.”