Stand with Meiko After Team Betrayal

Hi everyone,

I'm reaching out with a heavy heart to ask for your help and support for my son, Meiko. Football has been a lifeline for him — not just a sport, but a source of confidence, community, and healing.

Meiko struggled with a severe stutter growing up and endured years of relentless bullying that made him extremely introverted. But when he found football, everything changed. He finally had something that made him feel strong, accepted, and proud.

Unfortunately, Meiko was recently the victim of a traumatic incident. He was jumped by two teammates at a team sleepover, and instead of receiving support from the adults in charge, he was ignored. When I reached out to leadership — including the head coach, who is the father of one of the boys involved — I was met with silence and even aggression. Eventually, they made the heartbreaking decision to remove Meiko from the team, even though he was the one who was hurt.

To make matters worse, they won’t refund the fees I already paid for the season. Now, Meiko is devastated, and I'm doing everything I can to help him hold on to the one thing that helped him find himself — football.

We've found a new team that truly wants to support Meiko and help him through this trauma. But his registration fees are due soon, and money is tight — especially with my husband having been laid off since November.

If you feel led, please consider donating to help cover Meiko's registration costs so he can continue doing what he loves and begin healing from this experience. Any amount helps, and we're so grateful for your kindness and support.

Let's get Meiko back on the field where he belongs. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.