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ID: TT-6225

Man With Down Syndrome Bullied Online Meets Gamer Friend Who Protected Him For First Time IRL

A man with Down syndrome whose best friend found him while gaming online and protected him from bullies couldn't hide his excitement when they met in real life for the first time. Steven Land, 27, from La Mirada, California, formed a bond with Andrew Mowery, 20, from Lexington, Kentucky, while playing PlayStation online. Over time, Steven told his family about Andrew, and they discovered the lengths he’d gone to, to protect Steven – who finds it hard to pick up on social cues and insults – from bullies. Andrew started to see Steven as a “brother,” and soon he was finishing his two jobs, which meant putting in an 80-hour work week, and then chatting to Steven every day. With such a strong bond in place, Andrew started speaking to Steven’s family and expressed a desire to surprise Steven and meet in person. On July 4th weekend, Andrew was planning to fly to Las Vegas to visit his father, and so he asked Steven’s family if the wheels could be put in motion. Steven’s family arranged to be in the city on July 6, where they sat in a restaurant called Mama Bird and waited for Andrew to arrive from Kentucky.
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Release Status:
TV & Digital
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Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
  • Date Acquired: 07-30-2024
  • Date Filmed: 07-06-2024
  • Orientation: Vertical
  • Footage Type: Cell Phone
  • Rights :  TV & Digital, Commercial, Publishing
Tags:  meet , gamer , friend , best friend , down syndrome , Nevada

Man With Down Syndrome Bullied Online Meets Gamer Friend Who Protected Him For First Time IRL

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