A's Liam Hendriks offers advice to those struggling with cyberbullying

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Never read the comments.

It’s a relatively simple rule almost none of us abide by. For A’s closer Liam Hendriks, it’s more than that. 

“The comments are sometimes pretty tough,” Hendriks told NBC Sports California at the end of January. “I’m usually able to brush them off a little bit.”

That’s not always the case, however. Sometimes the words stick with him.

“I’ve been very lucky in the fact that my wife can go through and scrub them a little bit which makes it a lot easier on me because she can handle it a little bit more," Hendriks added. "Especially when it’s about me, she can handle it a little bit better than I will.”

“If there’s no truth to it, then it’s easy to brush off, but sometimes there’s some little resemblance of truth to it, that kind of reverberates through your soul a little bit.”

The 2019 All-Star select told NBC Sports California he currently has an ongoing investigation into a couple of comments from last year that also pertained to players around the league. Hendriks also said the tone of some of these comments has heightened recently.

"I think that has to do with sports gambling a little bit," Hendriks said. "So, a guy’s money is on the line, and they get a little bit more emotional ... "

Hendriks is doing his part in making sure those going through similar things.

He, and his wife Kristi, have teamed up with "Stand for the Silent," to bring awareness to anti-bullying efforts.

"We’ve done some cyberbullying stuff and we went out and did a speaking engagement with the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland, spoke at their gala this year, and it’s one of the things that we are very passionate about because of our past history with it.”

This is part of the mission that there is an awareness that these things are going on, and making sure those on the other end of cyberbullying are not alone.

"No matter who you are I guarantee you, whoever you can think of, celebrity-wise has gone through this," Hendriks added. "Regardless if they’ve got a spotless record, regardless if they’re the nicest person in the world ... "

He also offers some advice to those who struggle.

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"At the end of the day when they’re just attacking you, there’s nothing you can take away from it other than the fact of knowing that, don’t reply because you’re going to stoop to their level," Hendriks said. "As long as kids know that there are athletes or celebrities or actors or singers, or anything like that going through similar issues, it gives them a little bit more of a voice to be able to stand up for it, and that’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to gain people that are going to talk about it a little bit more, and that they can rest a shoulder on and lean to, and talk to about it and just make sure they’re not alone."

You can donate directly in support of Stand for the Silent, here

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