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Wrestling: No Bull-y: Former wrestler leading anti-bully campaign
By Justin Thomas, jthomas@starlocalnews.com
After years of using his size and strength to dominate opponents in the ring, Hall of Fame professional wrestler Ronn Hicks -- AKA Simply Badd -- is showing the youth of America how not to use their physical gifts: by being a bully.
Hicks and his Simply Badd Outreach Program -- an anti-bullying campaign -- has gone national and the Lewisville resident has also received more than 60 nominations thus far for CNN's Hero Award.
"The program has mentored kids in 19 states," Hicks said. "It's really been a blessing and has kept me nice and busy during my retirement. I just love the feeling I get from helping out these kids."
"The kids loved it," Hicks said. "They were able to see the passion I have for giving back and saw how truly blessed they were. A lot of times kids can take things for granted and this was an eye opener."
Additionally, Hicks will be speaking to students in Burling, N.C. from Aug. 24-26.
"It's the Pro Wrestlers Against Bullying campaign," Hicks said. "They saw what we've been doing and thought it would be a good idea to come out and speak. I'll be speaking to parents about the warning signs and talking to the kids about how to handle bullying and the consequences that come from being a bully."
Hicks has also formed a partnership with Chick-Fil-A in which he mentors students, is a North Texas charter member of the WWE's (professional wrestling) Be a STAR program and is affiliated with championsagainstbullying.com.
"We go to schools and have lunch with single-parent children for Chick-Fil-A," Hicks said. "About once a month we have lunch and have fun with the kids. But we also talk about holding them accountable for their actions.
"I think a lot of my story really resonates with them because I come from a single-parent family where my mother raised five kids."
Hicks also hopes to continue speaking to students throughout the LISD.
"We're in negotiations to speak at schools in Fort Worth, Dallas and Denton," he said. "I believe you have to catch these kids while they're young. The success rate so far has been crazy and I love to see our slogans in banners and gyms throughout the area. It's been very exciting. We started this mission and five years later is really coming true. We hope to continue because the bullying has to stop."
For information on Hicks and his anti-bullying campaign, go to: simplybadd.com or baddministry.com.
To nominate Hicks for CNN's Hero Award, go to: cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes.
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