Bullying can be physical, verbal, emotional, and even cyberbullying. Unfortunately, physical appearance is usually the number one reason why a person gets bullied. And life is never easy for the kid that gets bullied because of how he or she looks.

Having to deal with the constant taunting and teasing at school can make their childhood miserable. It is a cruel world that we live in where physical appearance is such a huge factor in judging a person. And sadly, the young generation these days are not exempted from this kind of bullying.

Six-year-old Gage from Salt Lake City, Utah was very excited to start his first grade. However, that excitement quickly vanished when he realized that he is becoming a victim of bullying. His peers and classmates and even some he considered his friends teased him about his ears.

They would start calling him “Elg Ears” and other awful names that made him more conscious about himself. And that is definitely not something that any 6-year-old child should ever feel. And when his parents found out, they were devastated.

Kallie and Tim Berger were shocked to know that their son was being bullied about how he looked. The boy came home from school wishing that he could change the way he looked. During an interview with Inside Edition, Kallie said, “He just gets really down on himself and he thinks he’s not good enough.” Gage would stand in front of the mirror and would push his ears back to see how he would look with it.

Even though his parents would continuously reassure him that there’s nothing wrong with his ears and they were just perfect the way they were, they knew that all the teasing and taunting was taking a toll on his confidence. That’s why they decided to meet with a plastic surgeon.

Dr. Steven Mobley did an osteoplasty consultation with Gage. The boy really wanted to do anything that could change how his ears looked. So the parents agreed for him to go through with the surgery. At first, Gage was a bit nervous. For sure, any 6-year-old would be. But he knew that his parents were there to support him every step of the way. Gage brought his favorite stuffed tiger with him during this journey. He said that this stuffed toy is also going through the same surgery as he will.

The procedure went on smoothly. And after the procedure, Gage waited patiently to unwrap his brand new pair of ears. And during the big reveal, the doctor handed him a mirror. And the moment he saw his reflection, his face lit up. He was overjoyed with a huge smile on his face. He exclaimed, “Oh my gosh!”

His gleaming smile surely said it all. Almost instantly, Gage felt more confident about himself. His transformation was amazing to see. He knew that with his new look, he will never have to worry about the bullies calling him ‘elf ears’ anymore. But what’s important is that young Gage loves the new person he sees in the mirror.

Gage will no longer have to worry about how his ears are holding him back. From now on, Gage will be smiling even brighter than he ever did before.