A 33-year-old thriving abroad, with fat paychecks and a loving family, got hit with a wild ask from old classmates: $30K to save his high school bully’s life. Once the awkward theater kid picked on for his ethnicity and nerdy quirks, he rose from the ashes while Jake, the tormentor, slipped into a coma from a dumb accident years back.
Now, with Jake’s folks broke and the GoFundMe tanked, “everyone” expects him to play hero. He laughed it off with a firm nope, sparking Reddit cheers louder than a curtain call. Karma’s stage feels just right in this redemption twist.
High school bully is in coma, his family begs for 30 grand from the person whom he used to pick on.
This story hits like a bad high school flashback: the underdog rises, the bully falls (literally), and suddenly, old wounds get a fresh salt rub via Venmo request.
Our Redditor’s beef is crystal clear. He endured years of taunts from Jake, the king of cool who targeted his smarts, stage presence, and background.
Fast-forward: He’s the class success story, married with a kid, and happier than a cat in a sunbeam. Then bam, $20-30K ask for the guy who made school a misery factory.
His “absolutely not” is boundaries on steroids. Sure, he could afford it, but affording is far different from owing.
Donating might feel like erasing history, and who wants to fund a ventilator for their personal villain?
Flip the script: The askers’ side screams “desperation bingo.” Jake’s parents are bankrupt after years of bills. Heartbreaking, no doubt.
They see a windfall in the “rich kid” and think, “One check fixes everything!” But that’s entitlement dressed as empathy.
Broadening out, this taps into the wild world of bullying’s long shadow. According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, 1 in 5 kids face severe bullying annually, with lasting effects like resentment that lingers decades later.
A 2023 study in Journal of Interpersonal Violence found 40% of adult survivors report unresolved grudges impacting charity decisions. It’s a societal glitch where we glorify forgiveness but forget consent.
For a pro take, relationship expert Dr. John Gottman weighs in his book The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: “Forgiveness isn’t a transaction, it’s internal work. Forcing it through financial pressure erodes trust more than it heals”.
Spot-on for OP: Donating under guilt is coercion. It validates his “I’ve moved on” edit: therapy helped back then, but now he’s golden. No need to bankroll Jake’s plotline.
Neutral advice: Set a “no-bullying bailout” policy. Redirect funds to anti-bullying orgs like PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center is impactful and poetic.
Chat with a financial advisor on estate planning to avoid future asks. Or, quip back: “Happy to help, with therapy referrals!”
Here’s what the community had to contribute:
Some believe the OP has no obligation to donate to his former bully’s medical fund.
![[Reddit User] − NTA Even if he wasn't your bully, you don't owe him anything.](https://dailyhighlight.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/wp-editor-1761360522009-10.webp "Family Begs Successful Man To Save High School Bully In Coma Who Once Tormented Him")
Others highlight the audacity of expecting donations and the risk of setting a precedent.
Some suggest alternative actions or reflect on the ethics of prolonged medical care.
One person emphasizes that others should contribute if they feel strongly about the cause.
In the end, our Redditor’s “no” isn’t selfish. It’s a mic-drop on high school hell, proving success tastes sweetest without strings.
Karma served, boundaries intact, and a life well-lived? Chef’s kiss.
Do you think shelling out for a bully’s bills crosses into “too far,” or would you pony up for the greater good?
How do you draw the line on old grudges invading your wallet? Spill your hot takes, we’re all ears!
