Isaiah Meyer-Crothers on years of bullying by Mitchell Miller: ‘It hurts my heart what he did to me’

Trigger warning: this story contains a detailed account of abuse and racism.

Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, the victim of bullying from Arizona Coyotes draft pick and recent Boston Bruins signing Mitchell Miller, has spoken out publicly through the Hockey Diversity Alliance.

The Bruins were scrutinized last week for signing Miller to an NHL entry-level contract. The Coyotes originally drafted him in 2020 but renounced the pick after news of the bullying and abuse came to light. After a barrage of negative reactions to their signing of Miller last week, Bruins later said they were moving on from Miller and that he would not join the club.

As of now, though, Miller is still contracted to the organization.

In the statement, Meyer-Crothers said Miller would spit in his face, call him racial slurs and throw food at him, among other things, while they attended school together.

Incredibly heart-breaking read but a necessary one. Our actions or lack thereof, have real-life consequences. A statement from Isaiah Meyer-Crothers in his own words sent to Akim Aliu, HDA Chair, on November 8, 2022 which he asked the HDA to release publicly on his behalf. pic.twitter.com/dctpDdrXaL

— Hockey Diversity Alliance (@TheOfficialHDA) November 9, 2022

“I have been bullied since I was in 1st grade. There were not many black kids at my school. I was called “brownie” and “n—–.” Kids said my black mom and dad didn’t love me that’s why I had white parents,” he said. “Mitchell used to ask me to sit with him on the bus and then he and his friends would punch me in the head. This happened my whole time in school.

“When I went to junior high Mitchell would spit in my face and call me a N word. I stopped telling because they called me a snitch and I would get made fun of. I had to say I was “his n—— “to sit at his table and he made me clean the whole table. He threw food in my face. I was called “n—–” every day.

“The office would tell me to stay away from him because he wasn’t my friend. Once he got expelled from school, his friends started bullying me. He pretended to be my friend and made me do things I didn’t want to do. In junior high, I got beat up by him.

“Everyone thought he was cool, but I don’t see how someone can be cool when you pick on someone and bully someone your entire life.”

Meyer-Crothers said Miller reached out to him over Snapchat and Instagram and that he said he was “doing stuff in the community and helping the youth and wanted to be my friend.”

“I told him, ‘That’s all cool but where is the proof though?’ He didn’t give me any [proof]. All the lies I have been told from him for so many years I don’t believe what Mitchell told me. He kept asking me to be his friend and that he has changed over the years from what he did. I told him, “I’m not just gonna be your friend after all you did to me.”

Meyer-Crothers said he has received racist messages over social media.

“Mitchell isn’t my friend. It hurts my heart what he did to me. So I just wanted to tell everyone—when Mitchell says we’re friends it isn’t true. I can’t take more of this.”