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10-year-old bullied for Tony Stark Halloween costume is the ultimate Avenger

His mother, Jill Struckman, said she received a call from the school office that her son had been teased on the school bus.
Credit: Jill Struckman
Evan, 10 years old, as Tony Stark, Iron Man, in Missouri at school Halloween party (Oct. 22, 2021)

COTTLEVILLE, Mo. — What started as a creative costume for a 10-year-old boy in Missouri sent him to his school's front office in tears, his mother said.

Jill Struckman said her son, Evan, dressed up as Tony Stark, also known as the ever-popular Avenger, Iron Man, to his school's Halloween party, according to a report from Fox News.

The 10-year-old was decked out in a "snazzy" suit, large glasses and even wore makeup to get his goatee just like actor Robert Downey Jr. who plays Tony Stark in the Avengers films.

In an interview with TODAY, his mother said "Evan loves getting dressed up." He was especially excited about the costume party that particular day.

While Evan asked his mom to take him to school in style, she said in a Facebook post, she wasn't able to drop him at school in the family's Mercedes-Benz at that moment so he had to ride the bus to school.

That's when he experienced the unpleasant commentary from his other students on the bus.

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According to reports, about 20 minutes after his bus left, Struckman received a call from the school office in regards to Evan being teased on the bus about his costume. He completely washed the goatee off, embarrassed.

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After a tearful phone conversation, Evan's mom decided to pick him up from school. Over frappuccinos, the two talked and he told mom that other kids on the bus said he looked stupid and that "everyone was going to make fun of him," TODAY reports.

After a confidence boost, Evan felt up to returning to school. Struckman told Fox News she asked him, "Well do you think you looked stupid?" 

Her son told her no. And the two agreed that he, in fact, looked "awesome."

Credit: Jill Struckman
10-year-old Evan as Tony Stark, Iron Man for school Halloween party (Oct. 22, 2021)

Struckman fixed his makeup, he transformed again from Evan to Tony Stark and returned to school...In the Mercedes, as originally requested, his mother said.

More than anything, Struckman said Evan showed how resilient he is, Fox News reported.

And his classmates loved his costume.

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