Bus monitor bullied video goes viral, inspires $223,000 in donations
In the video, which has been viewed 1.6 million times, middle school students, aged 12 to 13, harass the 68-year-old Greece, N.Y. woman.
"[You] don't have a family because they all killed themselves because they didn't want to be near you," one of the students yells out.
"I don't think they knew my son had," Klein told CBS affiliate WROC in Rochester, N.Y. "I wanted to punch them is what I wanted to do. So that's why I laid back, tried to ignore it. Because I really wanted to hurt them, you know? You can't do that!"
At one point, the students continue to torment Klein as she's crying - asking her why water is running down her face.
Bullied school bus monitor finds online support
According to the YouTube account-holder who uploaded the video, it originally showed up on Facebook and was uploaded to show the disturbing behavior of the children.
Soon after seeing the video, family friend Max Sidorov began an Indiegogo fundraiser to send Klein on the vacation of a lifetime. Indiegogo is a crowdfunding site, where people can donate money to projects or causes.
The original goal was set for $5,000, but has since exploded to over $223,000.
Also outraged by the students' behavior, YouTube users posted several response videos speaking out against bullying - many linking back to the Indiegogo campaign. The response videos have also garnered tens of thousands of views, collectively.
Klein does not want to see the children charged with a crime. However, a simple apology would suffice.
As for what she would tell the student's parents?
"I'm sorry that your sons acted the way they did," she told People magazine. "I'm sure they don't act that way at home, but you never know what they're going to do when they're out of the house."
