A Nova Scotia teen who has spent his young life dealing with other kids putting down his intelligence is now defying his critics.
Kyle Greenlaw has become one of the youngest people ever to design a working app for iPhones and iPods.
“It's mind blowing,” says Greenlaw. “I can't get over it. I am having troubles sleeping because I can't believe I am only 14 and I have an app on the app store.”
Sadly, Greenlaw’s intelligence has often made him a target for bullies at school.
“Even though they were pulling me down I just said, ‘I am going to be something when I grow up and I don't care what you say,’” says the Lower Sackville teen.
“You can never imagine the stuff that he's been through,” says his father, Rodney Greenlaw.
“We've had worries. We've had thoughts where Kyle's thoughts were improper, to a point where we've wondered if he would take his own life.”
But Greenlaw never gave up.
He submitted an idea to Apple four times and was successful with a game he made from scratch called EYE POKE, which became available on iTunes Monday night.
There are two versions of the game. So far, 32 people have bought the game, while another 286 have downloaded the free version of the app.
Players tap the eyes on the screen as many times as they can before the time runs out - the higher the level, the shorter the time allowed.
“The app has changed everything at school,” says Greenlaw. “It's been perfect at school and the app has made that happen.”
“I just can't believe that he was able to get through all that and get where he is today,” says his mother, Tina Greenlaw.
“It's amazing and I am so proud of him.”
“There is nothing as a parent that will make you happier than to see your kid happy and he's been so sad for so long, that this is the part that we love,” says Rodney Greenlaw.
With the help of family support, the teen has proven that through perseverance and using his smarts to his advantage, he can do anything.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl
