Trigger warning: This post deals with death and suicide.
The mother of a 13-year-old Brisbane boy who took his own life this week says years of relentless bullying was the catalyst for his death.
Amanda Unsworth told The Courier Mail that bullies had begun picking on Tyrone when he was just 11, inundating him with cruel taunts about his sexuality.
“He was a really feminine male, he loved fashion, he loved make-up and the boys always picked on him, calling him gay-boy, faggot, fairy; it was a constant thing from Year 5,” she said.
“I feel like these people who were bullying Tyrone are the cause of why he is not here any more. They pushed him to the edge.”
In an emotional post on social media, Amanda Unsworth wrote of her heartbreak at having to say goodbye to her boy, of not being able to bring him home with her.
“This shouldn’t of had to happen,” she wrote.
“All of this Because of BULLIES thinking there tough hero’s,” she wrote. “Now i don’t have my SON never will i ever get to see my beautiful boy alive [again].” [sic]
The school boy's tragic death comes a month after a violent altercation outside his school landed him in hospital, reports The Courier Mail.
Amanda Unsworth told the paper that he was hit in the jaw with a fence paling so hard that he required surgery.
Tyrone's grandmother, Twiggy Jones, said it the incident (which is subject to an ongoing investigation by Queensland Police) deeply affected the previously "happy, go-lucky" teen.
"When he came out of hospital he was a different boy ... he just kept telling us all ‘I don’t want to go to school, I don’t want to end up back at hospital’," she told The Courier Mail.
The family are now planning a funeral to be held on December 1.
If this post has raised any issues for you, 24-hour help is available through on Lifeline (13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800 or www.kidshelp.com.au). Please call.
Top Comments
It reminds me of that poor young 13 year old girl Adam Goodes pointed to and accused of racism.
She was hauled off by the police and questioned for 2 hours without an adult present.
What an over reaction, ok it should not have been said, but a big hero pointing out this 13 year old kid. She was terrified.
Peter Fitzsimons hopped onto the band wagon too and accused her of racism and now he's been heard all over the TV calling a black African security guard a gorilla.
Will he be subject to the same treatment as the 13 year old girl I wonder?
As seen with this sad young 13 year old boy, it's a vulnerable age to be bullied
That's one of the most tenuous links I've ever seen.
How ridiculous - how did this girl come into the discussion?
I would hazard a guess that ANY age is a "vulnerable age to be bullied".
I like Annette's posts as it's nice to have some more conservative women for balanced by you cant compare the two.Years of constant taunting, social exclusion and physical violence. It breaks my heart to think how much this poor child suffered and chips away at your self esteem. My uncle was gay and suicided as a teenager. My remember my mother telling me that his teacher told her son was concerned how effeminate he was ( this was the 1940's) I remember Mum said how distressed he was about his tendencies but he couldn't do anything to moderate them. The anxiety he had about the pitch of his voice, his physical awkwardness and dress sense. Adolescence is painful time for everyone but is especially fraught for gay people and deserve compassion.
Thank you Linda, I was not minimising the tragedy of this young boy, that would be impossible.
I suppose I always felt so much, not sympathy exactly, but more horror, for that young girl who was humiliated in front of the whole country at that tender age and it was the age that struck me in both cases, which was similar, 13, a very vulnerable age in anyone's life.
This makes me feel so sick.
This should never happen. How dare anyone think they have the right to physically & emotionally harm someone else - these bullies need to be held accountable.
Condolences to Amanda & family xxx
RIP Tyrone - fly with angels xxx