TOOELE, Utah (News4Utah) – Bullying can have a damaging effect on children and their outlook on the future. There is a local foundation that helps children who specifically have big ears but can’t afford the surgery.

Braidon, 13, has been bullied his entire life because of the way he looks. Today that’s about to change.

“They whisper to their friends, ‘either this kid has a big ear’, or ‘look at this kid, he looks like Dumbo.’ Sometimes they pull out their ears and make fun of me,” said Braidon. 

Braidon tries to ignore the mean comments but those crushing blows can sometimes be too much for this sweet 13-year-old boy.

“It’s to the point where I want to give up.”

“Sadness that he has to tolerate and deal with that every,” said Melissa Gerard Braidon’s mother.

For mom, it’s a helpless feeling.

“Especially when he says there are times when the world would be better without him in it..”

Braidon was born premature and mom believes his big ear happened while in the NICU.

“He was always favoring one side so this ear always tucked under,” said Dr. Steven Mobley,  facial plastic surgeon.

Cosmetic ear pinning is Dr. Steven Mobley’s personal cause. The facial plastic surgeon dealt with similar bullying growing up.

Lucky for Dr. Mobley his dad was a surgeon and fixed his ears.

Now the doctor helps people like Braidon who can’t afford elective surgery, through his foundation: The Mobley Foundation For Charitable Surgery.

“Deep in your heart desire to pay it forward. A lot of us who have big ears we, just want people to walk into a room and notice us and not think about our ears,” said Dr. Mobley. 

Braidon is rolled into the operating room. He spends roughly one hour in surgery which went much quicker than expected.

Dr. Mobley carefully pins both ears back to make it symmetrical.
 
“I think by taking one hour out of my life I can change this kid’s life forever and put him on a different trajectory,” said Dr. Mobley.

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