A young Australian parent had one wish for her son’s fifth birthday – to throw him a party where he could celebrate with his friends. But when the invitations went out, something unexpected happened. None of the children responded, and soon enough, the birthday boy found himself being bullied because of a significant difference in his birthday cake.
On October 18, 2023, an Australian news channel shared the touching story of Angel Craine, a 27-year-old mother from Redcliffe, Queensland. Angel reached out to social media users for their assistance and support when her son, Malachi, became the target of bullying due to his lifestyle choice.
Excited about her son’s upcoming birthday in October, Angel decided to throw him a party. She sent out invitations to Malachi’s schoolmates, not thinking much of it. However, as time passed, no one confirmed their interest in attending the event. Angel also noticed a change in the other students’ behavior towards Malachi.
It turns out that the reason Malachi’s party was snubbed was because he is vegan. The four-year-old boy was bullied at school for having a “no cow” cake. Angel recalled the hurtful words spoken by the other children: “They’ve all bullied him and told him they aren’t coming unless he has a cow in his cake.”
Angel was shocked by how children her son’s age already displayed such prejudice towards people who lived according to the vegan lifestyle. But Malachi didn’t back down when faced with the bullying. He stood up for what he believed in, even amidst the rejection and loneliness he experienced.
As a determined parent, Angel couldn’t let her son’s special day go uncelebrated. She turned to social media for help. Sharing her experience on the Vegans in Australia Facebook page, Angel reached out to others who might understand her situation.
She explained the refusal of Malachi’s friends to attend his party because of his vegan cake and their constant rudeness about his lifestyle choices. Angel asked if anyone in the north side of Brisbane had vegan children who would like to attend Malachi’s birthday party.
To her surprise and relief, the members of the Facebook group were incredibly supportive. Around 12 children from the group RSVPed to Malachi’s birthday party, and even those who lived too far to attend sent cards and gifts to show their support.
Angel expressed her gratitude for the kindness shown by the vegan community. She was overjoyed to see her son “super excited” about making new friends who shared his ethics and interests. Despite the heartbreak of witnessing her son being bullied, Angel felt proud of Malachi’s resilience and strength in standing up for himself and his beliefs.
She explained that their decision to embrace a vegan lifestyle was driven by their love for animals and a desire for ethical living. Angel encouraged others to stand up for those who don’t have a voice and shared her pride in how Malachi remains passionate about being vegan despite the challenges he faces.
As Malachi’s birthday approaches, the turnout for his party remains to be seen. But one thing is certain – through the support and love he has received, Malachi has learned the value of true friendship and the power of staying true to oneself.
