Community members, WWE, step up to assist autistic man after bullying incident at North Charleston Community Center

By Matthew Young, Martec Washington contributed to this reporting.

“As bad as it was for Kshawn, it’s going to be even worse for them – and that hurts me.”

That’s what Kimberly Foye told BBG last week, while speaking about the group of boys responsible for the public bullying which her son, Kshawn Foye, was a recent victim of. 

“People tell me, ‘Well, you shouldn’t feel this way because they did this to Kshawn,’” Foye said. “But still, they’re kids. I’ve seen juvenile delinquents turn into grown adult murderers, and somebody has to do something with them and help those kids because it’s not going to be good for them.”

The incident occurred last Saturday at the North Charleston Community Center. Kshawn, though 28-years-old, is semi-verbal autistic. An avid basketball fan and member of the Kanawha County Special Olympics team, Kshawn was playing basketball at the community center when he was assaulted by a group of young men. Neither the ages or identities of the young men have been disclosed, although a video of the incident which Kimberly posted to Facebook shows at least four boys participating in the bullying, with their ages appearing to range from approximately 10 to 14-years-old. Kshawn was seen being struck once in the face, and his Beats headphones were broken. 

“He wears his Beats because it cancels all the noise that he can’t stand to hear,” Kimberly said. “He can’t live without them. He’s got them on 24/7.”

As Kimberly explained, Kshawn’s headphones are for much more than listening to his favorite music. 

According to Advanced Autism Services, “Noise sensitivity is one of the most common sensory issues in autism.”

“Using headphones – especially those designed for noise reduction – can create a more controlled and calming environment,” advancedautism.com states. “Headphones assist by muffling auditory stimuli, which can lessen feelings of overwhelm and improve overall comfort.”

For an individual with autism, noise cancelling headphones can mean the difference between successfully managing the day, and spiraling out of control.

“When they took [Kshawn’s] Beats, he didn’t care about them hitting him,” Kimberly noted. “They probably could have hit him all day and it wouldn’t have phased him. He’s got a high tolerance for pain, and also he would have never hit them back because they’re little kids to him. He’s been taught ‘safe hands’ all his life. You don’t hit little kids, so he would have never fought back.”

Kimberly added that she has spoken with the parents of two of the young men thus far. And while she will be moving forward with legal action, she is hopeful that the boys will learn a lesson from their poor behavior, allowing for a positive outcome. In the meantime, those who may have any further information regarding the incident are asked to contact Detective Dalton Holcomb with the Charleston Police Department.

“If something comes of it and they have to go to court, I would ask the court to just give them community service,” Kimberly said. “It breaks my heart. I get emotional talking about it.”

What is Autism?

According to the National Institute of Health, autism is defined as being a “lifelong neurodevelopmental difference that affects how a person communicates, interacts with others, learns, and experiences the world. It impacts individuals in widely varying ways, including from mild traits to substantial support needs.” At present, it is estimated that nearly 30,000 adults and more than 10,000 children in West Virginia have been diagnosed with autism. 

As further explained by Memphis Neurology, when the brain gets more information from the senses than it can process, it “struggles to filter out background noise, bright lights, or textures. This causes intense stress, panic, and physical discomfort.”

Kshawn, Kimberly further noted, has never lived on his own. His inability to consistently communicate combined with other aspects of his autism require him to remain in his mother’s full-time care, as is a common occurrence for those living with the condition. 

Community takes a stand against bullying

“My intention with putting the video up was to find the parents so they could replace Kshawn’s Beats, but once I put that video up it just blew up.” Kimberly explained. “My phone has not stopped ringing yet. Woody Woods and, I think, a bunch of other people got with him  and replaced them.”

Beyond receiving a new pair of headphones, Kimberly added, after World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) was notified of the bullying by several community members, and then learned that Kshawn is a big wrestling fan, they invited him to be their special guest during the upcoming Oct. 30 show at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. 

“I didn’t know there were that many wrestling people in the world,” Kimberly noted. “There’s a bunch of them.”

On the video of the incident, Kshawn can be heard telling the boys that he will call WWE wrestler Roman Reigns if they do not stop. And though his warning did not calm the situation on that day, Kshawn will now have the chance to sit ringside for the event, and meet his other WWE idol, wrestler Cody Rhodes. A second video uploaded by Kimberly to Facebook shows Kshawn wearing his brand new headphones and a Roman Reigns t-shirt, while singing Cody Rhodes theme song. 

Along with posting the video, Kimberly added the message: “He’s back!”

“[Kshawns’] got them headphones on singing Cody Rhodes’ song,” Kimberly noted. “Woody Woods, Chris Feldhaus, Autumn Martin and everyone who has made him smile again, I thank you and so does he!”

To learn more about autism and similar neurodivergencies, visit autismspeaks.org.