3-year-old was being bullied, so 'Batman' walked her to school
Batman may not be real, but for a three-year-old girl in Florida, United States, he saved the day nonetheless. After Florida resident Erica Calculli sent her toddler, Lydia, to a Spring Hill preschool this summer, she found her to have turned uncharacteristically violent. Erica realized that her daughter was being bullied, and spoke about it online. Eventually, Batman came to Lydia's rescue.
Erica said her daughter recently returned home with black eye
Erica told WTSP that when she first saw Lydia returning home with bruises, she assumed the kids must have been "just playing around." However, one day last month, the three-year-old came home with a red and black swollen eye. "She told me that 'a bunch of girls and one boy hit her and a girl threw a shoe at her eye,'" Erica said.
Preschool staff failed to act against bullying, says Erica
Erica said that she reported the incident to the preschool staff, however, they dealt with it rather passively. But watching her daughter's behavior turn violent as a result of bullying broke her heart and eventually, the concerned mother flagged the issue on social media.
'Batman' decided to escort Lydia to school to boost confidence
The social media post was spotted by one Jack Asbury who offered to walk Lydia to school dressed as Batman. Asbury works as an EMT in Citrus County, but moonlights as a Batman impersonator. Considering how much Lydia loves superheroes, the intention was to boost her confidence (and let her classmates know that she's BFFs with none other than the Batman).
Hopefully this will help her overcome the fear: Asbury
"I told her she's going to have a great day"
Speaking about the day he walked Lydia to school, Asbury told Inside Edition, "I knelt down next to her and told her she's going to have a great day and she'll be just fine." He added, "While beside her, I looked at [her classmates] and told all of them that she's my very best friend, and I would be back to check on her."
Erica hopes daughter's story would inspire parents to combat bullying
Both Erica and Asbury shared pictures of the 'Batman' walking Lydia to school and attending class with her. Lydia, who also received a Supergirl outfit from Batman, has since been upgraded to an advanced learning classroom at the daycare. Erica told WTSP that she hopes her daughter's story would encourage parents to help their children combat bullying by being superheroes of their own.
