CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses suicide and bullying.
Aussie actress Clare McCann has shared a heartbreaking update about the death of her 13-year-old son Atreyu, whom she says suffered “horrendous amounts of bullying” despite numerous complaints to his public school in Sydney and to NSW education authorities.
Sharing the tragic news on the weekend, the actress and filmmaker revealed her son had tragically taken his own life.
“As my worst nightmare has come to life my child’s has been stolen. It breaks my heart beyond what words can compare to share that in a moment of unbearable pain Atreyu took his own life,” she wrote on Instagram, adding he was “let down” by the schooling system.
According to McCann, the 13-year-old had been facing months of bullying at school, which she says she flagged and escalated to the education authorities, but she alleges there was little action taken.
“I had begged the school, the Department of Education, and Children’s Services to intervene. I have medical records, psychologist reports, a formal PTSD diagnosis from his doctor, and emails proving I raised the alarm repeatedly,” she wrote on a GoFundMe page shared days after the death.
“But nothing was done. No one stepped in. And now, my beautiful boy is gone.”
She announced the shocking news on Instagram, describing her young son as the “brightest light” in her world. (Source: Instagram)
The GoFundMe is seeking to raise a goal of $300,000, which McCann stated will go towards cryogenically preserving her son’s body within the next seven days.
“We only have one chance left to cryogenically preserve his body within the next seven days. If we miss this window, we lose the chance for any future revival that science may offer. This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son’s story end in silence,” she wrote.
It would also go towards legal transportation, the necessary medical and legal services for the procedure, and a trust in his name, she said.
Proceeds above that amount would go towards a national anti-bullying campaign, support for other families impacted by what she described as “systemic negligence”, and legal action against the institutions she alleged had failed the teen.
The GoFundMe page has raised just over $3,550 at the time of writing.
“I am a public figure with a national platform, and I will use every resource I have to make sure this never happens again, not just to my son, but to any other child failed by this system,” McCann wrote.
Breaking the shocking news in an Instagram post on Saturday, McCann said the family is grieving a loss “that words can’t hold” as she described her young son as the “brightest light” in her world.
“[He was] kind, creative, and endlessly loved,” she wrote.
McCann, who is best known for her break-out role as Cherry on the TV series Blog Party, also created the Channel [V] series ClubLife.
In 2019, she wrote, directed, and starred in independent film Benefited, per her IMDb page. Her son Atreyu, a budding actor, also appeared in that film.
Lead image: Instagram
Help is available.
If you’re in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online. If it’s an emergency, please call 000.
Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
Reach out to Headspace or Beyond Blue for support, or make an appointment with your GP.
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