They Put “Rabbit Boy” Through All Manner Of Bullying, But A Decade Later They Would All Be Stunned |

A regular checkup with the dentist is essential for maintaining our oral health, and this is well-known. Yet, despite this knowledge, many people put off these anxiety-inducing appointments for as long as possible. Some might even neglect their daily dental hygiene routine, skipping brushing and flossing.

They Put Rabbit Boy Through All Manner Of Bullying But A Decade Later They Would All Be Stunned

The term ‘dentophobia,’ or fear of visiting the dentist, affects more people than one might imagine. This deep-seated fear can be paralyzing for some, as exemplified by the young man we will be discussing today. His experience sheds light on how intense this fear can be and its impact on his life.

In Bad Taste

Those children and teenagers fortunate enough to have their teeth fitted with braces might initially loathe the experience, but the benefits they provide are indispensable. While the process can be painful and uncomfortable, the transformation that braces achieve is remarkable. The end result—a flawlessly straight and symmetrical smile—often outweighs the temporary discomfort, bringing immense joy and confidence to those who undergo the treatment.

In Bad Taste

This was precisely the feeling that this young man yearned for. Unlike many who can simply address minor imperfections with braces, his situation was more complex. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have teeth that can be easily corrected; some require more extensive procedures to achieve that coveted, perfect grin.

His Name Is Evan

Evan Hill was one youth who prayed for normal teeth, before even enjoying a confident smile. The young New Zealander boy was discovered about 7 years ago, with everyone who laid eyes on him struggling to hide their shock.

His Name Is Evan

Looking at the picture above, you might be tempted to laugh, due to the almost cartoonish flaw in an otherwise sweet and handsome face. But Evan would not be trapped by this bizarre dental condition forever…

No Special Effects

This was a boy who lived an otherwise normal childhood in the sunny streets of New Zealand’s suburbs. He was aged 12, adored hanging out with his pals and attending class. But no matter how hard he tried, there was one large detail that Evan could not hide, one which separated him from everyone else.

No Special Effects

You may be wondering whether these photos have been edited with Photoshop, but we assure you that these enormous incisors in Evan’s mouth are completely real.

Sizeable Incisors

It was at the age of 10 that Evan began truly appreciating the gravity of his situation. It was then that many of his friends were getting braces. But this experience would pan out quite differently for Evan, due to the extreme way that his teeth had grown out.

Sizeable Incisors

While buck teeth generally give kids an adorably amusing appearance, the ones sticking out of Evan’s jaw were torturously oversized. Nothing was endearing about this case…

Toothy Torture

Most people’s teeth rest at a 2° angle, but Evan’s were radically off the average mark, peaking out of his mouth at a 12° angle! Even more alarmingly, his upper teeth suffered a gap between his lower ones that measured 2cms.

Toothy Torture

While he may have looked rather strange to himself and those around him, there were bigger oral problems that Evan suffered than just his appearance. This was an extreme dental deformation that would cause major problems for anyone’s mouth in general.

The First Issue – Speech Impediment

Evan’s gigantic top incisors and the attached overbite were extreme to the point that Evan could never keep his mouth shut. This constant gape resulted in an added difficulty in Evan’s ability to do many things with his mouth, his ability to speak being one of the worst challenges.

The First Issue

He then struggled with a speech impediment, and there were many words that he could not pronounce properly. This then made communicating with people a laborious task, and Evan was always scared to speak in class.

The Second Issue – Eating

While most of us take the simple act of eating for granted, even something as straightforward as a meal would often become a mission for the young man. Thankfully, Evan could get around his eating problems by simply cutting out the most challenging foods from his diet, specifically those that require the front incisors to safely consume.

The Second Issue

While Evan struggled with all manner of challenges borne of his odd teeth, there was one that would make the rest comparatively mild inconveniences.

The Third Issue – Bullies

As you can imagine, Evan was bullied mercilessly and relentlessly by the meaner kids at his school due to his buck teeth. They were so obvious and out there that people would notice straight away as soon as they looked at him.

The Third Issue Bullies

While the targeting began with people sometimes laughing as he walked by, or pointing at him, things would soon escalate horribly. Evan would soon be one of the school bullies’ main targets, and they had a uniquely unoriginal nickname for him…

They Called Him ‘Rabbit Boy’

Evan would soon come to be known as ‘rabbit boy’ when the bullies decided that this was a more apt name for him. But before Evan had come to be shamed for his unusual teeth, he had not seen them as that peculiar. He liked that he was more special than other children.

They Called Him Rabbit Boy

But that special sense of self that Evan had carefully built around his oddity was shattered when the other kids started calling him rabbit boy. He knew that he was being victimized.

The Anxiety Builds

Evan had not encountered that much negative attention growing up, which is why he was so shocked when some of the boys started targeting him. His cheerful demeanor withered and his school became a place that he associated with misery and humiliation, meaning that he no longer wanted to attend.

The Anxiety Builds

Evan’s parents were equally distressed to see their sweet little boy so miserable, and it pained them greatly to know that he was being victimized.

Self-Esteem Issues

While the previously mentioned physical difficulties that Evan struggled with caused Evan to have a complicated relationship with his teeth, the bullying and ridicule drove him to hate them. His mother’s best efforts to convince him that his teeth were wonderful, and that Evan was naturally incredible, had worked for a while.

Self Esteem Issues

But now they seemed useless, as Evan was beginning to grow angrier by the day, something that his mother picked up on with great concern.

Mom And Dad Step In

Even was far too young to be enduring so much pain and negativity. This was a compassionate and empathic young man whose only wish was to be accepted by his schoolmates. Evan’s mother, Barbara Hill, could not bear to witness her son suffering with his body, mind, and heart in this way.

Mom And Dad Step In

It was then that Barbara and her husband decided that enough was enough. They would begin forming a plan to help their beloved son with his woes.

Send In The Experts

It was clear to Mr. and Mrs. Hill that urgent action was needed. It was at the age of 10 years that Evan’s mouth truly began growing into an alarming problem. The family would make full use of Evan’s upcoming dentist appointment to explore the possible solutions for Evan’s problem.

Send In The Experts

They were happy to agree to braces and other procedures. Either way, they were adamant that Evan’s buck teeth be reigned in. The boy deserved better!

The Old Newspapers

Most people will admit that they feel a bit nervous when they visit the dentist’s office, while some feel almost panicked. What we all need to realize is that being able to afford a dentist’s services is a privilege and that they provide an essential service, without which our lives would be incredibly difficult and even painful.

The Old Newspapers

We all need to swallow our emotions and sit in the dentist’s chair without complaint. The alternative could result in dire consequences…

Evan’s Misfortunes

If you allow your tooth-related issues to go on unchecked and untreated, you are simply setting yourself up for serious and truly painful procedures. The simpler dental problems can easily be avoided if we stay disciplined when it comes to caring for our teeth.

Evans Misfortunes

Sadly, no matter how much Evan brushed and flossed his teeth, his problems were here to stay. Despite his best oral efforts, there was nothing that the schoolboy could do to ease his dental suffering.

Grinning With Perfection

If you are an adult today, then you might remember plenty of kids when you were a student yourself having crooked or imperfect teeth. It was not that big of an issue, right? For modern children, their appearance is far more scrutinized, and looking good is essential.

Grinning With Perfection

But even for modern adults, a perfectly symmetrical and polished set of sparkling teeth is incredibly desirable. Not all of us can achieve this standard simply, however, doing all they can to get there…

The Cost Of A Smile

Depending on how badly affected your teeth are, you might end up having to spend a small fortune trying to get the perfect smile, not to mention the surgeries that you might need. For some people, being able to smile confidently is a massive investment.

The Cost Of A Smile

Thankfully, many counties have incredible public health systems that cover the costs of minors’ dental plans. Evan’s folks would be confident knowing that theirs would greatly aid them in the plans that they had for their son.

The Cracks Show

But Evan’s parents’ confidences would be shaken when they discovered a major flaw in their plan. While the New Zealand government will happily pay for ordinary dentist appointments and the associated procedures for minors, Evan’s case was quite extraordinary.

The Cracks Show

The procedures that Evan required were far more expensive than the average set of braces, and if Evan’s parents wanted to go through them, they would need to cover them. This would obviously be an incredibly costly investment for the family.

Extensive Treatment

If Evan’s teeth could have been fixed by the ordinary fitting of wire braces, then his misery could have ended after a few months. But these were not your standard crooked teeth, and Evan’s complicated jaw would need a number of surgeries, followed by various treatments; a process that would take years.

Extensive Treatment

The family’s hopes and dreams seemed ruined as they discovered how much money and time would be needed to fix Evan’s teeth, not to mention how much pain and fear the young boy would face in the process…

A Complex Issue

But the Hills would eventually put their fears aside. It was clear that Evan’s happiness was invaluable and that he could not live his life this way. Especially when they considered how much further bullying and humiliation he was in for if they left him the way he was. But like many solutions in this world, money was the biggest obstacle.

A Complex Issue

The family’s dentist was completely honest with them. Evan’s buck teeth were beyond anything that he had experienced throughout 25 years of working as a dentist. He finished by handing them the predicted costs: $12,000!

Cough Up

While most families would struggle to put $12,000 together, the Hills could not think of any other option. One which would have to be found outside of the family’s personal finances. The Hills did not have anywhere near that much money sitting in their bank accounts.

Cough Up

Perhaps once upon a time, they could have gathered that much cash, but that time was long gone. This was not the first time that the Hills had been faced with an enormous payment.

The Challenges Of Life

Things seemed desperate for the Hills. They were eager for their beloved son to be happy and to have his dental issues resolved, but they simply could not afford the necessary treatment. The only option left was to consider mortgaging their home, a decision that weighed heavily on their hearts.

The Challenges Of Life

Life had become incredibly challenging for this family, but their determination remained unshaken, and their unity grew even stronger. They were truly an admirable family! In our darkest moments, light often shines from the most unexpected places, offering hope and strength when it’s needed most.

Evan’s Case

Given the unusual nature of Evan’s case, the media quickly took notice, and the young man soon found himself featured on a segment of *Campbell Live*, a popular news program in New Zealand. Through interviews with the Hills, and especially Evan, the public was offered an intimate glimpse into the family’s challenging situation.

Evans Case

The story resonated deeply, and it wasn’t long before many New Zealanders began empathizing with Evan and his family. Conversations about Evan’s case spread rapidly, with hopeful discussions emerging as people rallied around the Hills, offering support and solidarity in their time of need.

Beneficiaries

Campbell Live’s audience couldn’t help but feel touched by Evan’s struggle. Not long after this news special, the Campbell Live crew was flooded with calls from compassionate folks desperate to help back Evan’s dental procedures.

Beneficiaries

Contributions

Not long after Evan featured on Campbell Live, the donations began mounting, but it was far more money than anyone could have expected, $100,000 in fact! The huge sum was put together in less than a month, making the Hills incredibly euphoric.

Contributions

They could not believe that strangers from across the country had been so generous and dedicated to their situation. It really goes to show that there are plenty of people out there that would happily help each other.

All Together In This

Suddenly, Evan’s story was one that extended to all New Zealanders, proving that this was a larger population that cared about the little people. With so many people sending in money, Evan’s dreams went from a struggle to an achievable reality.

All Together In This

None of these people wanted to be heroes or to be praised for their actions, it was all done out of compassion. But despite all the enormous donations, the Hills were not out of the forest, yet.

The Payload

Campbell Live decided to end the donation process not long after the $100,000 mark was reached. Both the show’s producers and the Hills were blown away by the huge amount of money and love that Evan had been shown.

The Payload

This is a fantastic testament to human kindness, and how much can be done when this sentiment is put to good use. And speaking of good use, the Hills were now ready to put their ambitious dental plan into motion!

The Journey Ahead

With their funds secured, the Hills could now secure the initial appointment with their dentist. It was time to undo years of suffering for Evan and get the practical help that he needed. With the first consultation over, Evan now only needed to wait a couple of weeks to get the ball rolling properly with his dental procedures.

The Journey Ahead

The New Paths

The Hills had been overwhelmed by the fortune that such wonderful strangers across New Zealand had put together for them. With this much money, they could happily facilitate all the complicated costs and efforts needed not only to pay for the procedures, but the logistics behind them.

The New Paths

Proceeding With The Procedure

Evan’s dentist decided that the most important part of his teeth that needed to be corrected first was the angle. The young man was nervous as he arrived at the surgery room, but the dentist was incredibly comforting.

Proceeding With The Procedure

He managed to shift Evan’s teeth 15mm (more than half an inch) along, which resulted in a phenomenal edition to the boy’s buck teeth. These were still the early days of Evan’s long journey, and a lot more work would need to be done if he was to enjoy normally working teeth.

Making Progress

Evan could not believe how different he seemed after the first operation. Now, the dentist wanted to fit Evan’s teeth with wired braces to even his teeth out and force the upper row back into its appropriate place. This would, in time, correct his severe overbite and eliminate any overhang.

Making Progress

Anyone who had braces fitted when they were younger will tell you that this is a long and slow process. Evan was on his way, however.

The Remaining Funds

You might remember that Evan’s dentist fees were settled at $12,000? Well, if you minus that amount from $100,000, you still have a small fortune remaining! The Hills could not just stow away that money, seeing as it had been donated for a specific cause.

The Remaining Funds

Yes, they had also purchased a new car, but that still left them with stacks of money. The Hills then put their heads together to think up their next big appropriate purchase.

Pass It On

Eventually, the Hills realized that there was nothing more that they could use the money for personally, and so they began searching for a relevant charity trust to donate the money towards. Of course, they settled on a fund that helped pay for children with severe dental issues.

Pass It On

They knew that there were plenty of other families out there with kids who needed the same help that they had so kindly received. This donation made Evan incredibly content.

Open Gratitude

The kind of donation that the Hills were handed is the kind that forms unprecedented levels of gratitude. They would never forget the compassion that they were shown by so many different people. We now move our timeline forward by five years following Evan’s Campbell Live appearance.

Open Gratitude

The family often thought about that experience and its results, and the mind-blowing generosity that Evan had been shown. They wanted to express their gratitude in a truly open and honest way.

The Media Sensation

Barbara, the mother of Evan, reached out to the press, saying, “I really don’t know where we would be without the generosity we’ve had. We did initially look at getting a mortgage, but this came up and blew us away.”

The Media Sensation

These were meaningful words from Mrs. Hill, but people were incredibly curious to see how her son’s procedures had panned out, and what he looked like today. Hopefully, Evan was now leading a normal life.

A Country United

So many people around New Zealand had come together to help Evan out with this oral health problem and they were desperate to know whether their contributions had made a difference in his life. They were pleased to know that Evan’s confidence and self-esteem are in the right places.

A Country United

He is hopeful and believes that life will pan out happily for him. While people will generally do their best to overcome their challenges alone, this was one that Evan could not have beaten without everyone’s help.

The Meaning Of Community

This story has a happy ending, and Evan was freed from the many difficulties that his teeth caused him. From eating whatever he liked, to being able to appear in public fearlessly, Evan could finally smile confidently and positively.

The Meaning Of Community

Stories like these are amazing on their own, but they have a more profound effect. They show us how much we can do for others if we all work together. You never know much a small donation can do for someone.

Time Moves On – Five Years Passed

Evan would continue to visit his dentist frequently as the years moved on. He had become well accustomed to the dentist’s office, and that chair that so many people fear was like a piece of furniture in his home by that stage.

Time Moves On Five Years Passed

But it would only be in 2017 that Evan would finally feel confident about his results from the prolonged dental treatment that he had braved. It was now time to show the world where he stood…

The Lengthy Investment

Evan could not hide his excitement. To begin with, his smile was beautiful, and his speech was no longer impeded by the enormous buck teeth. His mouth could open and close comfortably. This had been a years’ long process, and there had been difficult moments for the young man, but when Evan saw his reflection, all that struggle melted away.

The Lengthy Investment

It might have been difficult to imagine a life without pain a few years ago, but Evan’s dream had finally come true.

Wireless

Evan’s last day with braces finally came. It was time for the treatment to end, and his mother excitedly drove him to the ultimate appointment with the dentist. In just a few hours, Evan would finally be free of braces… forever!

Wireless

He had bravely endured a number of intense surgeries, and the discomforts of braces for years. It was time to reap the rewards of his patience and endurance. But would all the blood, sweat, and tears pay off? We will let you decide.

Open Wide

Evan’s dentist carefully began undoing the braces and washed off the leftover glue. Evan was then instructed to use some special mouthwash before being passed a mirror. All these difficult years had built up to this moment, five years in the making.

Open Wide

Evan could not hold the tears back as he carefully inspected his face. He could not believe that he was the same person that he had been five years ago. Evan’s jaw dropped.

The Million-Dollar Smile

Evan could not keep his face straight as he marveled at his now normal teeth. He was giddy with joy and could not contain how grateful he felt for all the incredible work that his family, dentist, and the public at large had put into his happiness and health.

The Million Dollar Smile

This was a very pleased young man, and for a long time after that, he was certainly the cheeriest boy in New Zealand! He beamed with confidence, hoping that plenty of other children in his shoes would one day know how he felt. Evan’s transformation was nothing short of miraculous.