NPR News

An older kid stepped up to save him from bullies — and changed his life

NPR | By Mallory Yu

Published May 25, 2026 at 3:02 PM CDT

As a sixth-grader, Darrell Barber was the new kid at school and a target for bullies. An eighth-grader named Marcus became his protector.

👋 Looks like you could use more news. Sign up for our newsletters.