A mum has spoken out after her 12-year-old son died by suicide.
*Trigger Warning: This article features distressing content*
The grief-stricken mother wants to use his passing as a way to raise awareness about bullying. She posted about the harrowing loss on Facebook.
She confirmed her son Drayke died by suicide on February 10th.
His mother Samie Jo urged people to be kind to one another because you never know what someone is going through. Her loss has made so many people realise that suicide can affect young people too.
She said Drayke died as a 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."
His mum said her son knew love every day of his life, but that wasn't enough to stop the trauma he was facing from taking over.
Samie Jo said her family revolved around Drayke, he was their world.
"He had a fire that lit for people, his witty personality and those baby blue eyes won over the world. He is my boy, the one person that at any given point would just stop and give me a hug."
Her son never failed to tell his mum just how much he loved her. Samie Jo said he would often tell her multiple times a day.
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Sammie Jo[/caption]
"Well, Buddy, you are my saving grace, you are daddy’s hunting guide, and you are now the forever protectors of your big sisters."
His mum admitted she doesn't know how to continue without her son, without her Drayke, but she will be strong.
"I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with you, and instead you spent the rest of yours with me."
She doesn't know if her heart will ever recover from this loss but found some strength in it to raise awareness. Sammie Jo wants parents to know just how harmful bullying can be. She wants teachers, carers, and guardians to be aware. She wants children to be aware that actions, cruel words, and nastiness all have consequences.
"I will spend every minute teaching kindness in the memory of my favorite dude. His purpose here was to teach kindness, as well as love. And 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."
She encouraged other parents to hold their babies close to them. "Tell them to live and to love fierce."
She also pleaded with parents to teach their kids how to be kind.
