Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Devin Scott, 17, Death by Suicide

Welcome to the new school year.  This is the year that we're supposed to see a difference.  This is the year that we're supposed to see the number of teen suicides markedly reduced.  We're not off to a good start.
After just the second day of his senior year, 17-year-old Devin Scott, in Colorado Springs, ended his own life.  It has not been confirmed, yet, that bullying was a factor.  And, there are no indications that Devin was an LGBT teen.  

Although bullying hasn't been officially named as the culprit, there is plenty of proof that says otherwise.  It is documented that there was a minor scuffle at Vista Ridge High School that resulted in the person Devin had the run-in with wanting to fight him.  In fact, somewhere between 30-50 people showed up at his house wanting to see the fight.  And, despite the fact that these people pounded on his door and taunted him from outside, no fight materialized.  The assault then continued online, on his facebook account.  According to his mother, Devin disabled his facebook account several times during the summer vacation because of constant cyberbullying.  Angel Bradley, Devin's mother said:
"That's why we're talking about it. This is difficult for me to be talking about this on the day of my son's funeral, but I think awareness needs to be out there. Somebody needs to hear the story so that another family doesn't have to go through this."

A lot is being done to make this year different.  Better.  A lot more needs to be done, obviously.

There is an ever-growing sea of people and organizations working tirelessly in an effort to bring awareness to the bullying issue and try to bring it to an end.  Obviously, none of it was able to save the life of Devin Scott.  However, in his honor, it's time right now, while the school year is in its infancy to redouble our efforts, to work even harder and more focused in our effort to bring the bullying scourge to a screeching halt and work towards greatly reducing the number of teen suicides.  The State of Colorado has an anti-bullying law in effect for all of their schools.  However, having laws on the books is meaningless without more action being taken.  I'm convinced, after seeing this all unfold during the last school year, that it's going to take the efforts of many ordinary people - families, friends, neighbors, concerned citizens - to accomplish our goal.  And, accomplishing this goal is a must.  

There are organizations online as well as suicide prevention lifelines.  We should all strive to have this information memorized.  We never know when we're going to need it!





Devin Scott would've turned 18 on August 20th.  This was his senior year of high school.  He was on the brink of life getting better for him.  Rest in peace, Devin. 

14 comments:

  1. Horrible, I did a story some time ago on bullying, my own confessions of being a bully. The title was Oh God Forgive This Bully, I am so saddened that this behavior continues. God be with this young man's family.

    http://thevirtualpew.blogspot.com/2010/03/oh-god-forgive-this-bully.html

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  2. Wow, Its really sad that bullying has been allowed to go this far. I was bullied through school and my senior yr of high school I walked home 3 miles everyday after school b/c some of the kids threatened to beat me up at the bus stop after school. My heart and prayers go out to Devin's family

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  3. Perhaps if cyberbullying was a punishable offense (time in prison), we would see a reduction of it. So sad to lose promising young people because of this childish activity.
    R.I.P. Devin Scott

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  4. This is so sad, the school year hasn't even started for me yet, and I will be a senior, he had just one year left of high school. I wish we could have prevented this from happening, so he could've went on the college and had a much better and happier life for him in the future. Rest in Peace Devin. You will never be forgotten.

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  5. This really makes me want to cry so bad , To see another young life taken just before my birthday , And i just happen to look up after i had over scrolling down just to see that he took his life just before our birthday , I wish his family lot of love to them all ... RIP Devin

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  6. Rest in Peace Devin. <3

    This is why I alert admins and teachers, call the police and speak out at middle schools. So Teens my age don't do this. So one of my best friends didn't take her life. So bullying can be put to a stop.

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  7. RIP Devin: From No Bully Iowa .

    This is way I made the group no bully Iowa . I am sick of young kids taking their life. We need to make sure this stops . We all need to help make sure that if someone is being bullyed that we speak up . To Devin's family and friends if you need to talk look me up on facebook . I am also a pastor or join No Bully Iowa on facebook

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  8. As a mother who lost her own 17 year old son to suicide back in 2000, although to depression not to bullying, my heart goes out to this family. We need to all take a stand against both suicide and bullying. We are losing our futures.

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  9. My heart goes out to this family and all those that have lost their children and family due to bullying and depression. I am an lgbt teen and although I have not had the dealings with bullying, I have been through depression. suicide is not the way! help from others is what is in need!! I have read his, and many stories before this one and am sitting here in tears thinking about these young deaths. im hoping for the day that it all ends

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  10. Im soooo sorry to hear of this tragic event in Devin's familly. My son took his life 7 months ago and so I greive with the parents of Devin. My son's name was Dustin....I think...that the internet, the text messaging and the facebooking, is a tool that doesnt belong. When I was a kid, my parents knew who I was fighting with, they heard me say bad words and they corrected me and punished me. I was immediately found accountable for my misgivings...I thought my Mother had eye's behind her head, cuz she always KNEW what was going on behind her back....these days...parents do not know...because of technology, texting, cell phones, etc.....most kids dont go to bed without their cell phones under their pillows. Jezzz I just wish kids had the same upbringing that I had. One phone on the wall for 8 people....everyone at the dinner table when Mom called. no tv on during dinner, everyone sat together as a familly.And we talked about our day, our acevievments and our problems...those days are gone eh? well. THATS A DARN SHAME.

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  11. Classmates, teachers, and even parents and the churches need to learn ONE thing: your irresponsible words are much more likely to cause this to occur, than you realize. Don't cry over a casket when it was you that put the gun in someone's hand!

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  12. my son starts school this year and though he is a well liked child and has never had any problems with making friends and i have dun my best to tech him to stand up for him self any toughs a rawnd him what has happen with this young man make's my worry that one day i will have to see this happen with my son or one of his friends we can't let this go on any more my hart gos out to all the ppl that have lost a loved one to such a sad thing and all i can say is this need to stop gnaw we need to stand up to any one that is going to torment some one just to make them self fell better it is not right and just saying something is wrong dus not make it stop we need to take action

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  13. He was my friend and no one NO ONE listened when we told them to leave him alone. We tried to help the best we could but people are ruthless. I think everyone of them should suffer the consequenses of the actions. Devin we love and miss you.

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  14. So what happens to the bullys? They just have to go the rest of their lives knowing that they pushed another human being to their death??? Thats it? No consequenses? Teenager or not, it really breaks my heart to see mean and ignorant ppl who think they r above others!! Get over urselves!!! I dont know Devin, in fact i dont even live in CO, but this is happeneing too often everywhere. Parents, teachers, principals, the community, and America, our children need guidance... As adults we r role-models even when we think we r not. Children r a reflection of what we show them.

    A.B.
    Tacoma, WA

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