I haven't been able to find any news stories or other verifying information. The student classmate indicated that he was bullied but didn't give a reason for it. Here's what she posted on her tumblr blog:
I'm convinced that this issue is not being taken nearly as seriously as it warrants. I'll explain why I'm convinced in the next blog post. I will say, though, that tonight's experience convinced me beyond a shadow of a doubt that the concern level isn't anywhere near where it should be for this issue of bullying. Therein lies the lion's share of the problem.Today is a sad day for me. On this day, April 30, 2012, a sweet soul lost his life.He was a senior at Morgantown High School. He had just 10 days of his high school career left, JUST 10 days.I was not close to him or his friend, but I saw him from time to time walking down the hallways all alone. I never took the time to stop and say, “hey!”, or “how is your day?” to him. I would just go on with what I was doing like he wasn’t searching for someone to be kind or someone to just stop and tell him he looked nice today.I should’ve taken the time to stop what I was doing for two minutes just to ask him how he was doing or if he was having a good day. If I would’ve done that, maybe he would still be here.I just can’t believe how hard this hit me. WHen it comes to people my own age and it’s someone you saw every single day at school, it becomes really difficult to deal with.You can’t help but blame yourself for it happening when you know you could’ve been there for him and been a friend to him.I’ve been asking myself so many questions and wondering if I was ever mean to him or a bully like the others were.Bullying is a very serious issue at MHS.The staff and students ALL do it without realizing it. They just don’t have any respect for others or themselves anymore and it’s caused so much chaos. They all need to wake up and see that this is a serious matter and that it has caused a lot of hurt for people.If this horrible thing does not wake them up and make them see how bad it is, then I don’t know what will.Today was the first time I’ve seen a lot of our MHS students come together and support something so much.I hate that it came to this for him. He had so much potential and so many talents that nobody will ever get to see.We’re all going to miss you Ryan. We will never forget you. YOu will always be in our memory, minds, hearts and souls.We love you.
Ryan, and his family, should be planning for his graduation from high school and his 18th birthday, which is right around the corner. These are supposed to be some of the happiest days of his and his family's life. Ryan is supposed to be looking for that summer job in preparation for the excitement of his coming freshman year of college. What his family wasn't supposed to be doing was burying their 17-year-old son less than 10 days from his high school graduation.
Look, I'm not naive. I don't think for one second that this is going to go away overnight. Would I love to see that happen? Well, certainly. Rather, it's going to take a continued persistent effort from many people before we'll truly see bullying, and teen suicide, become a thing of the past. At the same time, every single time I see another teen end their life because of it, I realize that we've still got so, so far to go. But, as David Long put it, everything starts with one. Please don't miss out on your chance to make a difference. There's someone, no matter where you are in the world, who's waiting to hear you tell them that things are going to get better, that they can make it thought the overwhelming turmoil they're facing right now...that there truly are people who care about them and their lives and would do anything in this world to keep them from committing suicide.
Sadly, all of our efforts will be too late for Ryan Cransford, and his family. May your soul now find the peace it deserves. Ryan Cranford: June 9, 1994 - April 30, 2012.
I can't believe we lost another one. How many will it take for everyone to wake up and step up to help stop this. RIP Ryan may you find your happiness now.
ReplyDeleteWow, just wow!!!! This is very heart wrenching. I really wish that light bulbs would turn on in these people's heads and they would wake the heck up! Hate kills!!!
ReplyDeleteRIP Ryan-I'm sorry the world failed you-Truly I am...
ReplyDeleteI am glad that someone finally added the teachers into the situation and not just the teachers. I went to a High School in WV and I remember my gym teacher allowing people to say stuff and he actually said a few things himself.
ReplyDeleteThere is a reason why as a parent of a gay teen I am so deep up the schools backside if my daughter is bullied they -have- to do something. They know I will bring down the wrath of god on them if my child is not prtected while in their charge. I can not believe that adults... teachers would be involved in something like this. Parents of these poor children need to start suing and for millions. It is not about the money... nothing can replace a child however money talks with schools and when they get slammed with class actions maybe they will get off their butts and do their jobs!
ReplyDeleteKudos to you. I encourage you to do bullying activism! Every parent needs to be teeth and claws when it comes to their kids.
DeleteI'm from Morgantown and went to school at MHS and the other schools here before that. And let me tell you, if you are bullied severely like I was (rocks thrown at me, beat up by 10-15 people at a time), the principals just call your parents and tell them that YOU are a problem child, YOU are causing a disturbance, and that it's YOUR fault. YOU get punished, not the bullied. And your parents end up believing that they have a demon child and don't look after your interests at all! That's what happened to me. This kid was born when I was attending MHS. I can't believe this hillbilly redneck inbred racist sexist homophobic KKK white power redneck town hasn't changed a damn bit in 20 years!
Delete...this hits me na unexplainable way...grew up an hr away from morgantown...at his age I was going there with friends and seeing there is hope and acceptance...bullying &/or lack of suicide education is outta control...kids r gettin more and more hateful...sad part is its taught by narrow minds...
ReplyDeleteOh, dear, sweet young man. My heart breaks for you. I'm so sorry that you were in so much pain and felt like there was no other way to make it stop. I'm sorry so many people hurt you. I pray that their hatefulness will catch up to them. I can only hope that your passing will affect your bullies enough that they torment no one else for the rest of their lives. I hope you've found peace and joy where you are now. I wish I could have done something for you.
ReplyDeleteThis is what comes from a world where children are taught to hate. Kind words and understanding can save someone's life. Hatefulness can destroy a life. I'm teaching my child to always be kind. Maybe one day she will be the one to give a bullied person hope and happiness that saves their life.
I tried to get a local school to stop some bullying and their answer was that soon they would be going to a training seminar to deal with it.What about today?
ReplyDeleteRyan, what did you go through that was ignored by others?
ReplyDeleteRyan, who turned the other way when this was happening?
Ryan, who did you need in your life to say "it's all right?"
Ryan, who might have seen this coming and did nothing?
Ryan, why is your beautiful soul not here any more?
Ryan, why oh why?
Ryan, we can't turn back the clock or bring you back, but we can honor your life and share your anguish as we work to end bullying...... and as we work especially to end apathy that allows it. Rest in peace, you dear wonderful boy.
This is why it kills me everytime someone says bullying isn't a big deal. They just shrug off something like this and say its the kid's fault for killing themselves over something so trivial.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the kids we've lost this year were doing so just to 'get attention'. If it was something so simple, they would have done something other than ENDING their lives.
People need to wake up.
When will this ignorance end!?!
ReplyDeleteI am now retired but I too remember the bullying that took place in High School. I ended up going to my senior prom with a friend because I couldn't take my boyfriend. In fact, no one knew I had a boyfriend. This was 1968 and the next year, my freshman year in college, I came out. Life was just so much easier after that. Also, college students were a little more mature. Even though there are now high school organizations supporting the LGTB community, we still have a long way to go.
ReplyDeleteHe was born just 5 years after my wife. TO THE DAY! I am so very grateful she survived. If only he could have held out 10 more days. I hope we can save others.
ReplyDeleteSad, so sad!
ReplyDeleteMy soul cries out to these teens that are being bullied, not just by their piers but by the adults that should be standing behind those that are being bullied and not add fuel to the fire. I am always shocked and saddened when I read of yet another teen that has taken their own life because they can no longer deal with all that is being put on them. When is enough going to be enough. What can we do to make this problem go away. There is such an easy way to stop it....stop the bullying and when you catch someone bullying another person, step up and say something. Don't let it happen in your presence. I also believe there should be some legislation that makes it a hate crime when a teen takes their life due to bullying.
ReplyDeleteHello.
ReplyDeleteHis family has stated several times that bullying had nothing to do with what happened to Ryan Cranford. If you read the Post, they were even quoted there. I know the family personally, and they have asked for this to stop countless times. I am sure you were unaware of this, so please take no offense. I am simply informing you that this is a rumor, and has been since proven false.
Thank you for this information. I completely agree with you that too often we all jump to the conclusion that bullying was at the root of these tragic events. I try my best to get the most accurate information available. That said, I will do a follow-up post to clarify that bullying was NOT the issue here. I extend my deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and whole community. Thanks again.
DeleteFrom Morgantown...so many rumors over this sad ending. I've heard, from relatively reliable sources, that he was not bullied, that he had a very real, very close circle of friends. That he was loved and supported. Sometimes people are ill, and no matter how much we want them to see things as they are, they just don't. I have not a clue as to his sexual orientation, nor do I care. A child lost his life. That is heart-wrenching!! As to why that life was lost, most can only speculate based on a fellow teen's blog, or the evening news report, or what the neighbor's cousin heard...or perhaps talking to his family, who knew him best. But perhaps it would be best to not speculate and just mourn the child.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. What's most important isn't the why. What's most important is that another teen has cut his life short. Thank you for your comment.
DeleteI know for myself that the only person I can wake up is myself. Two weeks ago, I was going to this homeless shelter to meet this guy to help get him on disability. As I was crossing a busy street, and looked back to mack sure no more left turn cars were coming as that arrow turned red. I turned to cross the street and here was a teenager getting ready to cross the same street in the opposite direction on a bike. And a car was starting to make a right turn that didn't notice him. I put up my hand like a stop sign and yelled "stop". The driver was mad but this kid thanked me for saving his life. Then, I talked with him for a while and he explained some stuff about his past which wasn't very positive about his parents. He lives with his grandparents but they have a hard time taking care of him, such as feeding him, clothing him. So I gave him my address and name and told him if he needed a dinner or some new t-shirts or jeans or just want to talk about his past problems, to stop by, and I'd help him. I'll even take him in my apartment since I have an extra bedroom, if it's ok with the grandparents and he wants to check that out come the summer break. he lives about 1/2 mile away from my home as it turns out. The light bulb is on in my head, and I'm ready to put it in action either for this kid or some other kid in his school who is going through even worst problems. That's the only way I can honestly respond.
ReplyDeleteThank you anonymous and chase leon for reading and correcting this misconception that ryan was bullied. Our daughter was one of ryan's friends. I too, want to encourage people to try and get more facts before posting something of this nature. I'm glad you are plannimg a follow up post, ron. Ryan was a kind and well liked young man who clearly had some personal pain that was overwhelming. I feel awful that anyone has to feel that kind of pain. Ryan will always live in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteLike others have said, bullying really was not an issue. Ryan was a very good kid and very kind. I knew him, and there were literally no reason that anyone would have a desire to bully him.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, Morgantown High School paid several thousand dollars to have speakers come to talk about bullying for the entire school every grade level, whether or not the students paid attention is their own accord. In addition to that, bullying is covered in several classes that students all take including health and Project Chat. Bullying is addressed at MHS, its up to the students to follow through.
I went to MHS, and South, and elementary school here in Morgantown and YES the teachers nearly condone bullying! They support the bullies and label the victim of the bullying a problem child! I can't believe things haven't gotten any better over the last 20 years! When the hell are people going to GROW UP and accept diversity here?
ReplyDelete