the story of michael phelps touches me,although am far away in africa,kenya.watching him break records in beijing olympics.kind of teaching me not to give up,my kids can make it in life even when hurdles are their

Well, I love him!!! It's hard to beleive he was bullied, but I guess I sorta excpected it!!........... I am sure those kids regreat it now :)!!!!

Michael is the greatest in the world and I adore alot,he is my role model.I have learnt from him that nothing is impossible once you put your mind to doing something and give it your best it can be accomplished.I must say that I am Michael' biggest fan,from the first time I saw him in Athens 2004, I knew it instantly that he is going to be the world's best athlete.

And here I thought I was the only one! I and some of my teammates went on to the Junior Olympic US National Championships when I was 14 years old, living on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio TX in 1962-1964. I was up on the winner's stand 3 separate times! This practice and achievement has stayed with me all of my life and helped me get through many hard times since then. I don't know how I would have survived without swimming, and it gave me the first firm base I had to know that no matter what, I could survive. I had to just keep going and even if it took 100 tries, or 100 years, with perseverance, I could get there and I would get there if I just didn't give up. That is what my coaches taught me, and competing in AAU showed me. This changed my life.

I too used the pool and practice and swim meets to escape from brutal bullying by other kids and the violence in my own family life. When I was at practice, I was in another world that accepted me as one of it's own. As soon as I hit that clean, clear water, and the blue of the pool, I knew I was going to be "alright." Swimming changed everything in my life, and up to that point, gave me the only peace I had ever known. It saved my life.

My swim coaches were in reality "guardian angels," who taught me how to live, taught me how to lose and taught me how to win. I would give anything to see them again, but can't remember any of their names. Maybe one day they will read this online and know just how much they mean to me! And I'm sure to every other kid on that team...

God Bless you, Michael! Good Going, to the GREATEST OLYMPIAN IN THE WORLD! You've given us all something to strive for, and shown the world that we can all make it if we try.

"Everything gets better in the end, and if it's not better, it's not the end, so keep going."

To SmileyMa:

That's right. You keep focused on your little guy. I am also a single mom and have raised an ADHD boy. We both have scars from rejection in the community. The worst was having a woman slap my son at a Pizza Parlor and saying "You shouldn't bring a kid like that out in public!"

My son has performed nearly every male role in the Nutcracker, from party boy to Cavalier. He kept growing bigger and bigger (6'5, 250 lbs) and transferred those skills into football where he is a starting varsity lineman (he's a Jr. this year). We expect good things from here w/football.

Michael and Becky, thank you, thank you for sharing your story. You are an inspiration to us all. Much Love.

God Bless Mrs Phelps for raising all her kids on her own. I have nothing but the greatest respect for her.

Proof that living well IS the best revenge on your bullies. Who's laughing now?

even we Filipinos are very proud of your accomplishments, congratulations and hope you can come and visit our country so you can also inspire our athletes here, hope you'll win more golds in the 2012 olympics!

that is so sweet only 3 things he truly care about is his mother his sisters and swimming he seem to care less about the attention first thing he did when he won races was go directly to his mom it does make me tear up when i hear he got pick on and bullied in school his mother always supported him through it all and he is a strong person to get past that stage of his life he lighten up the world

congratulations to Michael, and got bless him ! what great person, wonderfull personality, what a role model! I was emotional watching all his wins, great great great guy.

I got tears in my eyes after he won and he said he just kinda wanted to see his mom. What a great big kid. I hope he goes out and talks a little bit about bullying to give other kids hope. Great great job Michael. Even the nail-biter close win was entertaining.

The best payback is being successful! He's a great example to all those kids who are given a hard time at school for one reason or another.

he is very talented. I wish him the best, etc.

Lucky girlfriend! Not because of his fame or money, but because he is an awesome guy. He is so absolutely adorable but his looks shouldn't even be brought up. He is an athlete, not a model, so who cares what he looks like. I think if you are going to make rude comments on what Michael Phelps looks like, you should also post a picture of yourself for the rest of us to critique. I personally think Michael has changed and grown since his first Olympics and he is HOT!!

I love Michael Phelps! He's without a doubt my favorite swimmer of all-time, he's an excellent role model and he certainly adds on to the good name of the USA(every nation has its good)and made his nation proud without question. The haters are just as ridiculous as the bullies who tortured him via bullying for no good reason. And, hey, who cares that he decided to be a swimmer and not a lacrosse or football player. Michael Phelps has stuck it to all his bullies, haters and the naysayers about him not being capable of winning eight gold medals. Michael certainly earned all that he accomplished and deserves to reap of his rewards because he has the right to and no one should open their ugly mouth and badmouth him about it.

To that "Anonymous" person who criticized Mrs. Debbie Phelps for supporting her son throughout the entire swimming competition and being overwhelmed with joy and happiness, really, how dare you? That was just overly stupid comment that you made. I guess that people who love and support the person their showing support for should stay quiet? Debbie Phelps had every right to be super emotional and show it to the world.

Love Michael Phelps and his family. His mom is awesome, a great mother and his two sisters, Hillary and Whitney, what sisters to have. Those are two awesome siblings. God bless them all! I wish Michael much more success in his life. Yes, Michael does have a girlfriend. She's one lucky girl and I wish for the best for them. Take good care of each other, you two. God bless.