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New Article: Bullied Teen Meets Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson

Friday, February 4, 2011

A heartbreaking video shows 13-year-old Nadin Khoury getting kicked, dragged through the snow, and then hoisted into a tree, allegedly by six of his classmates. He tries to run away but is hung by his coat on a tall metal fence. Thursday, Nadin and his mother, Rebecca Wright, appeared on "The View."

"They're messing with me because I'm one of the smallest ones. When we first moved into the area they saw that my mom was African, and they made fun of my mom a lot," said Nadin. "I watched the tape, and I just broke down. ... It's just something that no parent wants to see," said Wright.

But Nadin faced the problem head on and has been hailed as a hero for coming forward, exhibiting bravery that earned him a special surprise.

"Please welcome pro bowl wide receiver Desean Jackson, center Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans," Elizabeth Hasselbeck announced.

"They wanted to make sure they were here to be with you," said "View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg.

"You're brave, because this happens every day and people are not brave enough to stand up and take this on," Desean Jackson said.

Jackson gave Nadin an Eagles jersey and made him an unofficial teammate of the Philadelphia Eagles.

"Anytime ever you need us, I've got two linemen right here ... my boys are ready to come down," Jackson said.

Nadin's dream is to be a Marine one day, and perhaps score an appearance on another popular talk show.

After the show, Nadin said, "I don't even know if it's real or not! I'm still waiting on a call from Oprah."

Nadin was captured on his way home from school last month. After he was attacked and hung on a fence, a Good Samaritan came by, took Nadin off the fence and walked him home. He was not seriously injured.

"They could have killed that kid, impaling him by the neck on that metal barrier. This kid was screaming for help, and they beat this kid. ... It's bullying. It's bullying in America at its worst. It's caught on video," Michael Chitwood, the superintendent of Upper Darby Police said at a press conference.

Chitwood said the arrests at Upper Darby High School are related to a Jan. 11 assault at an apartment complex courtyard. The video was taken by one of the seven alleged attackers.

Nadin said he was terrified.

"I tried to get out, tried to leave, tried to escape, tried to get up the tree and run away, but even when I did that ... they attacked me, and they caught me again," Nadin told ABC News.

"This is scary man. This is crazy -- there is nothing you can do to protect your own kids," Nadin's mom told ABC News, crying. "What can I do about it? I'm a single person. I got two hands and two feet. I can't fight a whole group, I can't fight a whole school, I can't fight a whole district."

It's still not clear what prompted the attack. The students attend an alternative school for troubled teenagers.

The district's superintendent released this statement: "Although the news report of this incident may appear to give Upper Darby High School a public relations black eye, please know that the safety of every child in this district is of our utmost importance. ... I'll take a black eye in the press anytime if it keeps a child safe."

Story by ABC News: Andrea Canning, Christina Larosa and Olivia Katrandjian