So we jetted back home and did his makeup within five minutes, just did it real quick, and we were back at school, I mean, within an hour, we were back at school.

Jill Struckman

It would have been easier for him to come home, but I really felt like if he doesn’t get back in there, then he’s not going to be the kid who puts himself out there anymore. This is going to change him. He’s not going to wear the tuxedo or the business suit on picture day. This is going to change him, because he, at that point, he’s let what others think of him define him.

They told me that they had him sitting there and he was really, really upset.

He said they told him, ‘You look stupid’ and that ‘everyone is going to think you look stupid’ and everyone was going to make fun of him.

He was apologizing for washing the goatee off because we worked really hard on it.

Every year, I’m worried all day that he’s going to get picked on, and he just usually doesn’t care. He gets looks and whatever, but for the most part, it’s positive. It’s just never an issue.

It’s been overwhelming, i really think it went viral because so many people can relate to it on some level.