HIS PERSONALITY MAY not always have come across all that well in recent years, but former world number one golfer Tiger Woods isn’t all bad it seems.
Woods, routinely listed as the greatest golfer in history, once suffered from a stutter.
And he’s written a letter of support to a fellow stutterer expressing his support.
The recipient, identified only as Dillon, is a teenager who has suffered bullying at the hands of his peers due to his speech difficulties.
Dillon had apparently attempted suicide due to the nature of the bullying he was going through.
When Woods heard of Dillon’s plight, and that he is a huge fan of the 14-time Major championship winner, he sent the teenage boy this letter.
“I want to say how proud I am of you,” says Woods in the letter.
I know what it’s like to be different and to sometimes not fit in.
I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep.
Often I was the only minority player in the field. I didn’t let that stop me, and I think it even inspired me to work harder. I know you can do that too.
Dillon is quoted by Golf Digest as saying he is “going to frame the letter”, before adding:
I hope that maybe one other person out there that is also having struggles, will hear my story and realize suicide is not the answer and maybe it can help them.
I just acted on impulse and now wish that I hadn’t. I was just tired of feeling small and like I didn’t matter. I know that I do matter with the help of my family and friends like you to support me.
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