With the grief still raw from his suicide, the family of Drew Ferraro has decided to join the fight to end bullying. At a memorial service held for their gone-too-soon son, they handed out business cards with Drew's image on one side, and the numbers for suicide prevention as well as the email address for a couple of websites to stop bullying. None of this will help bring back Drew, of course, but their aim is to do everything they can to assure that no family ever has to go through the devastation that they're experiencing.
This is what it's going to take. It's going to take more families getting involved and demanding change. No child, ever, should be bullied...period. As an extension, however, no child certainly should ever have to feel like the only way to get away from the bullying is to end his or her life. That's why I write these articles. That's why so many people are getting involved with such a critically essential struggle: this has to end now!
We are already painfully aware that the officials, be it school officials, law enforcement, or even some politicians, are more than willing to turn a blind eye to the problem. Indeed, the statement from the La Cresenta law enforcement was that "their investigation" showed no evidence of bullying. In fact, he defiantly added "I know there has been a lot of speculation about bullying -- it had nothing to do with that." Apparently, their investigation was in the wrong places. It was reported here from the beginning that Drew Ferraro ended his life because of bullying. Now certainly isn't the time or place for "I told you so", and that's not my intent; however, if friends and family say that it was caused by bullying, it just doesn't matter what the school officials or law enforcers say. They're simply trying to cover their own asses. Those closest to the victims, those left to pick up the pieces, will certainly know better than the "officials" what happened to their loved one.
It's up to us, the concerned citizens of the world community, to make the changes that are necessary to bring this woeful chapter to an abrupt end. A lot is being done. And, progress is being made. Just not fast enough. Certainly not fast enough to save Drew Ferraro's life or any other of the dozens of teens who have taken their own lives because of bullying just this year alone. Dozens!! Today is only the 49th day of the year!!! Can you see the urgency?
These are links and numbers everyone should have handy at all times:
WHOF's Suicide Support page
STOP Teenage Suicide
Stop Bullying website
1-800-273-TALK(8255)
No child, gay or straight, black or white, fat, skinny, Martian, or otherwise should ever, EVER, be put in a position where they feel that ending their life is the only hope they have for the bullying to end. At the end of the program handed out by Drew's family at his memorial get-together were the words "Zero Tolerance against Bullying". Where have you read that before?
