OLNEY (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia teen is using his muscles to combat bullies, but not in the way that you may think.
He is seeking to become a beacon in his Olney community. And he's only 15.
It all started with Nixlot Dameus getting bullied.
"It's like, maybe just getting big muscles and getting strong is going to get people to back off a little bit," Nixlot said.
Nixlot was a slender boy from Haiti who liked the cello and poetry.
Bullies targeted him because of his size and his Haitian origin.
He finally had enough, began lifting weights, got bigger, and the bullying stopped.
He can bench press 405 pounds. He weighs 190.
The Delaware Valley Charter High School student captured a local bodybuilding title last year.
And while he pursues other competitions, he has been running Summer Superman Camps at Fisher Park for youths.
Nixlot's message: fitness can prevent bullying and improve your self-esteem.
"He's really hard working, he pushes everybody, I really like his momentum. He's really dedicated to lifting and working out," Nathaniel Morton of Olney said.
If you still aren't convinced that Nixlot is a motivated person, listen to this.
When he first moved to Philadelphia from Haiti when he was nine, he learned the English language by watching hours upon hours of PBS Kids. His favorite phrase quickly became: "What does that mean?"
"Stay focused. Stay focused. Keep doing what you're doing. Follow your dreams," Nixlot said.
Nixlot will hold two more exercise camps Tuesday and Wednesday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Anyone is invited.