Ken Transue, Point Pleasant Boro Grad: Stood Tall Against Bullies

Long before there was anti-bullying or any kind of rules drawn up for it, there was a kid named Ken Transue. He didn't need a manual; he just knew how to stand up for people in a way that even many adults could not.

Even the ones who write the manual.

Maybe it was one of his life's missions, helping out those who can't. Because I can't, to this day, identify any other reason why he helped me the way he did.

And he was only in seventh grade. And it was 1979. And for some reason, he chose to defend me, even though I didn't know him, didn't really want anything from him and didn't even really want anybody to know about it.

There was this kid who made a habit of meeting me by the Memorial School locker room door in Point Pleasant Boro every day. For whatever reason, he saw me as somebody to pick on. And he did it every day, because he could.

But he really did it because he loved the way I reacted (usually badly). And even when I tried to ignore him, the kid found a way to get under my skin so much so that I would lash out — and once even tried to punch him.

Ken started to take notice and told the kid to knock it off. Originally, I thought Ken was trying to show off. Like I was saying — I didn't know Ken, and I was in a class that year that had a lot of students who were misbehaving. Ken himself didn't always behave well. I thought Ken was just another one of them.

But then, one day, when I really lashed out, Ken intervened. I stood away when it happened, and all I could see was Ken, who wasn't very tall himself, but taller than this kid, looking and staring down at the kid. You could almost see the sides of his eyes wrinkle, like he was drawing up some mean look.

I saw Ken's lips move but I have no idea what he said. I saw the kid shake with what appeared to be fright. Whatever he said, it must've scared the hell out of him.

I never heard from the kid again.

I always thought Ken had some ulterior motive. What was his angle, I thought? Did he want to cheat off me? Did he just want a peek at my tests and boost his grades?

But for the rest of the time I was in school, Ken was the same to me. He never had to worry about defending me against bullies again, but he kept on being friendly to me. He never even asked me for a favor.

I remember thinking about that, looking back after we graduated in 1985. "Damn," I thought. "Why did he do that?"

I guess he was just a nice guy, and a special guy who stood tall against the bullies.

Services will be in Georgia for Ken, according to his brother, Dan, who said his parents "feel this was where he was happiest in life." More information will be coming soon.

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The Bully Menace: A Patch Series

Patch is taking a special look at society's roles and responsibilities in bullying, which can result in a child's unthinkable decision to end their own life, in hopes we might offer solutions that save lives.

Do you have a story to tell? Are you concerned about how your local schools handle bullies and their victims?

Email us at [email protected] and share your views in the comments.

Earlier In This Series

• Bullied To Death: When Kids Kill With Words
• America's Shameful Truth About School Shooters And Bullying
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying: Why It’s Different, Difficult To Confront
• Bullied 10-Year-Old's Suicide 8th In School District This Year
• 3-Week Nightmare: How Bullying Pushed My Son To Run Away
• Teen Tells Bullies In Video: 'Every Day, I Wear Your Words'
• 'The Hero Myth': Why Expecting Kids To Fight Bullies Is Harmful
• 'Mr. Anti-Bully': Reformed Bully, 12, Sets Mistake Right
• Mallory Grossman Bullying Detailed In Wrongful Death Suit
• Malden Schools Were Non-Compliant Through Bullying Saga: DOE
• 'They All Failed And Changed A Child': Malden Bullying Detailed
• Mom Speaks About Bullying Heartbreak: 'I Feel I Failed Him'
• Why These Kindergartners Start Each Day With A Handshake
• The Bully Menace: 'The Hurt Never Goes Away'
• Bullies And Their Targets The Same: Digital Self-Harm Rising
• Boy, 6, Overcomes Bullying, Heart Condition To Spread Kindness
• Williamsburg Poetry Teacher Helps Bullied Kids Open Tortured Minds
• Bullying Tougher To Confront When It's Bias-Based: Researchers
• Bullied New Hampshire 5th Grader Makes Tearful Plea
• The Bully Menace: 13 Age-Appropriate Reads
• Teen's 'I Wear Your Words' Video Inspires Nashville Songwriters

From The Experts

• 'The Anti-Bully': Talk And, Especially, Listen To Your Kids
• The Bully Menace: Patch Experts Offer Tips To Parents
• Anti-Bully Experts Offer Tips On Sometimes Deadly Encounters
• Understanding The Bully: They're Often Victims, Too, Experts Say

What We've Learned

• The Bully Menace: What Patch Has Learned About Childhood Torture