ENDWELL, N.Y. -- It's something no person should ever have to go through.
"They'd come by and bump her, and she would intentionally fall to the floor. They would kick her books down the hall, making it difficult for her to stand back up and go pick up," said Rhonda Hillman, Gabrielle Ford's mother.
"I really felt like it was something I deserved," said national anti-bullying spokesperson Gabrielle "Gabe" Ford.
At 12, Ford was diagnosed with progressive neuromuscular disease. Throughout her teenage years, Gabe was constantly bullied.
"Learning that she was being made fun of was so painful for me. It hurt me so bad. It hurt me much more than her diagnosis," said Hillman.
But, Gabe found a way to turn her pain into motivation. After years of hiding from people, Gabe's family adopted a dog named Izzy, who suffered from a similar disease.
"Having to go out into the public and care for her dog forced her out of hiding," said Hillman.
"By having a dog do that, it really changed my life," said Ford.
Now Gabe works to spread the message of anti-bullying. She no longer has Izzy, but she has a new friend, Ilo. Friday, they visited Maine-Endwell Middle School to inspire students to help put an end to bullying.
"It's all about educating and educating people on how to treat others, and to stand up for others that might not be able to stand up for themselves," said Ford.
"Bullying is an ongoing issue. It's a daily battle because of social media because of the age group," said Maine-Endwell Middle School Principal Rick Otis.
It's a battle Gabe has vowed to take head on. She travels the country, sharing her story of conquering bullies.
"I really hope that they get and understand how much bullying is a choice," said Ford.
It's a choice Gabe is hoping kids will not take part in.
"If I ever see bullying, I'm going to stop it. I'm just going to never bully because it's wrong," said student Dylan Moshier.