A heartbroken family have shared their grief after their 12-year-old son took his own life, following what they described as a year-long campaign of bullying.
Drayke Hardman’s devastated parents Andy and Samie posted on social media saying he ended his life after a year of bullying by a schoolmate.
Mum Samie paid tribute to her "handsome boy" adding her "heart was shattered" and saying bullying at school was the cause of her son's untimely death.
She implored parents to "hold their babies tight" and teach them kindness in the wake of the devastating tragedy.
Friends of the family, from Tooele in Utah, USA, have started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for Drayke’s funeral expenses with condolences and donations pouring in from friends and strangers alike.
Posting on her Instagram account Samie said: "This is the result of bullying, my handsome boy was fighting a battle that not even I could save him.
"It is real, it is silent and there is nothing absolutely nothing as a parent you can do to take this deep hurt away.
"There are no signs, only hurtful words of others that ultimately stole our Drayke from this cruel place.
“He was 12…. 12 years old. How does a 12-year-old who was so knowingly fiercely loved by everyone think that life is so hard he needs to take himself from it.
“My heart is shattered, I don’t know how to fix it, or if I ever will, but I will spend every minute teaching kindness in the memory of my favourite dude.
"His purpose here was to teach kindness, to show love that and he absolutely did, he took anyone in as a friend so that they had one. Once you were in Drayke’s tribe, you were there forever.
“I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for my people, for the calls, the texts, all the messages.
"I try to respond, I do but I don’t know how right now. I will say hold you babies, hold them tight.
"Teach them to live and to love fierce. Teach Kindness and #doitfordrayke.”
Dad Andy tweeted about his son’s love for the Utah Jazz basketball team, tagging several favourite players.
He said: “Our sweet 12-year-old baby boy passed away this morning after an attempt to take his own life last night.
“He’s the biggest @utahjazz fan. Thank you for making a bright spot in his heart. #doitfordrayke.”
Player Donovan Mitchell retweeted and said he was praying for the Hardmans.
The GoFundMe page shows that Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Joe Ingles are among the top donors, each giving $4,527.
Donations and condolences have poured in with over $80,000 raised by friends and well-wishers in three days.
One donor said: “This just breaks my heart! I am so sorry your precious guy was bullied until he just couldn’t take it anymore.
"You guys did everything right so don’t ever blame yourselves! It’s the bully’s fault. Sending you virtual hugs and praying for your family."
Another said: “Young handsome boy with his full life ahead of him got taken far too quickly from (bullies) what an absolute joke just so sick and terrible what this wee boy must have gone through."
Lt. Jeremy Hansen, Tooele Police Department, told Gephardt Daily that he heard about the bullying allegations and Drayke’s death on Friday, the same way everyone else learned of it: on social media.
Hansen said he knows of no police reports that were ever filed regarding the case by the charter school, Scholar Academy, or by anyone connected with Drayke’s family.
Hansen said the Tooele Police Department has a strong relationship with the Tooele School District and has responded to bullying allegations as warranted in the past after it has been informed of the need.
The Scholar Academy charter school is not part of the Tooele County School District, Hansen said and has not contacted the TPD on the case.
Hansen said he plans to talk to his chief on Monday and hopes involved parties will file a report.
Reports by involved parties with access to details are crucial to investigations, he said.
The Mirror has approached the Scholar Academy charter school for comment.
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