CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The daughter of a retired Marine is being recognized by a national nonprofit that serves military families.
She entered a scholarship competition from "Operation Homefront."
While she didn't win, she was a finalist for having quite a following with her unique idea to tackle bullying.
At just 18, Kennedy Knight has a budding career; she broadcasts to nearly 300,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel.
It all began two years ago when she posted about being physically attacked by a bully .
It really resonated with other teens.
“I'm still here. I may have cuts and bruises but I am telling you guys this story because I know there is someone out there who can relate to what I am talking about,” she posted.
“It first started off with one person who wanted to put me down and as a bully those people would try to turn other people against you,” Knight told Channel 9.
Her mother said the attack, which took place after a party, took a toll.
“As a parent you never want to see your child hurting,” her mother, Shelly Sanders, said. “[I saw] her going through what I knew was depression; not wanting to eat, hearing her say I don't have any friends.”
“I didn't want to go to school but then eventually I realized how blessed I was,” Knight said.
As Knight spent more time at home alone, she began to focus even more on social media.
She began sharing beauty tips and D.I.Y. projects as a creative outlet for girls.
“I am a believer in God, and if you're going through this the best thing to do is to pray on it and let God handle it. That's exactly how I’m handling it,” Knight said in a YouTube post.
Now, she hopes to turn what started as adversity into a major in media arts when she heads off to college.
“If you're going through something like this, please talk to someone or it won't get better. Talking to someone is the best thing you can do,” Knight said.
Knight graduates from Cox Mill High School this year and said she will continue motivating others through her videos.
Her mom encourages other parents to monitor their teens on social media because sometimes bullies can also attack online.