The city of Tampa, Florida, is recognizing the work that WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil is doing within the community and kids by renaming a school in his honor.
Revealed yesterday, the Sligh Middle Magnet School is being renamed to Thaddeus M. Bullard Academy at Sligh Middle Magnet School, reflecting O’Neil’s real name. O’Neil, through his Bullard Family Foundation, has transformed the lives of students, families, and faculty districtwide.
“I was once labeled a ‘bad’ kid and told I would be dead or in jail by the time I was 16,” said O’Neil. “This is the highest and most respected honor that I could ever receive considering there was never any expectation of me ever finding much success in my life. Hopefully this will prove to any student who comes from an underserved community that anything is possible when you believe.”
Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis called O’Neil a community hero for the countless hours of work he does with kids in the area. “He continues to go over and beyond to help children to address significant gaps in our communities,” Davis said. “And he just doesn’t stop at Sligh. It has grown legs throughout a number of feeder middle schools within our transformation network. I’ve never met a more incredible person.”
