Luke Humphries plans Premier League gesture that speaks volumes about darts star
Luke Humphries has arranged a VIP experience for a 14-year-old darts fan from Stockport who was bullied so badly that his parents felt they had no option but to remove him from school
Luke Humphries has taken a strong position against bullying, earning recognition as a committed advocate for young victims of harassment.
In a touching gesture, ‘Cool Hand’ Luke has set up an exclusive VIP experience for a young darts fan with autism from Stockport who suffered such intense bullying that his parents felt forced to remove him from school.
The world No. 1 was deeply moved by the struggles of 14-year-old Alex McGarrie, who will soon get the incredible opportunity to meet his idols, including world champion Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, and other Premier League Darts stars at the AO Arena in Manchester.
Moved by the severity of Alex’s experience, Humphries explained what compelled him to act: “I got tagged in something on social media and followed the link to read about it. The extent of bullying he endured was shocking.
“That kind of treatment can really wear someone down. There have been tragic cases where victims of bullying ultimately took their own lives. If there’s any way to help, you just do it.”
Humphries admitted that he receives numerous appeals for assistance and can’t accommodate them all: “I can’t help everyone – I get loads of messages from people saying: ‘I’m struggling with my health, can I get tickets?’
“But I wanted to do something for this boy because I don’t want him to believe the whole world is against him. I want to offer him a glimmer of hope. Hopefully, this event brightens his spirits and even brings back his smile. Right now, he isn’t in school – his parents had to withdraw him – so he’s really feeling down.
“I asked his father about his favourite player, and it turns out Luke Littler is his role model. So, I’ll try to secure a signed Littler jersey for him. He’ll also get to meet all the players, and the PDC has kindly provided tickets. Everything is arranged.
“Maybe some of the bullies are darts fans and will see him having the time of his life – an experience that money can’t buy. I just hope that something good comes from this.
“Of course, I wish he never had to go through this in the first place, but at the very least, this might give him a bit of encouragement. We’ll make sure he feels supported and valued because, in the end, there is no room for bullying.”
Premier League Darts will arrive in Manchester on April 10 for the tenth night of the tournament. Humphries is currently six points behind leader Littler after the world champion claimed his third nightly win in Cardiff on Thursday.
Littler did so in spectacular fashion, delivering a nine-darter in a 6-4 triumph over Van Gerwen in the final. Earlier, Humphries had been eliminated by the Dutchman by the same scoreline in their quarter-final match-up.
