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Casey Heynes (R) about to take a punch from Ritchard Gale (L) - Source: Nine News
The 15-year-old Australian schoolboy who became an internet phenomenon after beating his bullies, said he used to get so low he would consider suicide.
A video of Casey Heynes fighting back at his tormentors has been watched online by people all over the world, with hundreds of thousands of them sending him messages of support.
The mobile phone footage loaded online shows a smaller boy taunting and punching Heynes.
After a few blows, Heynes retaliates picking the other boy up over his shoulder and slamming him into the playground.
The bully staggers to his feet, shaken but suffering with just a grazed knee.
Heynes told Australia's Channel Nine News his years of being a victim finally caught up with him, and he just snapped.
He said his abusers "Called me fatty, (and) slapped me on the back of the head".
It had started when he was first at primary school and he hoped things would change when he moved on to high school.
He described himself as "an easy target" because he never retaliated.
But soon, the bullies were on his back again and his new friends didn't stick around.
Alone and isolated, Heynes said he found himself at his lowest point and considered suicide.
"I didn't realise how much trouble he was in until I saw that video" said his father, Colin.
"I had a tear in my eye, it was so sad. Imagine all your friends walking off and leaving you."
The teenager said he acted on impulse, "Everything built up over three years" he explained.
"I thought the rest of them would be jumping in that's why I picked him up and dropped him, I was scared I wanted to defuse the situation."
Both boys were immediately suspended from school, but Heynes says he has no regrets.
"I was just looking at him, I wasn't really thinking. I was just like 'yay! finally it's over!'"
The video, which has now been taken off YouTube, has gone viral worldwide, spawning dozens of websites and facebook pages congratulating Heynes for fighting back.
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