Tony Eberhardt speaks out on school bullying and hearing impairment

Tony Eberhardt, a model and former finalist of Germany's Next Topmodel, has spoken publicly about the severe bullying and social exclusion he faced during his school years due to his hearing impairment. Eberhardt described being laughed at by classmates, excluded from group work, and targeted with harmful pranks, including one instance where a stone was hidden inside a snowball thrown at him.

He noted that his hearing loss was often treated as a disruption in the classroom, leading him to internalize blame and struggle with self-confidence. To combat these issues, Eberhardt is now using his platform to advocate for inclusion. In collaboration with Aktion Mensch and Nummer gegen Kummer, he addressed more than 65,000 students as part of a campaign against cyberbullying and social exclusion, sharing his personal story to encourage those currently facing similar challenges.