×
Parents Who Lost Their 12-YO Boy to Bullying Speak Out | “I’m Angry and I’m Hurt and I’m Broken”
ADVERTISEMENT

Parents Who Lost Their 12-YO Boy to Bullying Speak Out | “I’m Angry and I’m Hurt and I’m Broken”

The boy was bullied to the point where taking his life was his only option.

Cover Image Source: GoFundMe

Trigger Warning: This story discusses bullying and death by suicide that may be disturbing to readers

Drayke Hardman first came home from his school with a black eye. A few days later, the 12-year-old boy from Utah skipped basketball practice. Last week, Drayke died by suicide, per 9News

ADVERTISEMENT

Now, the family who lost their precious child is speaking out about bullying and is trying to raise awareness through their movement #DoItForDrayke, per ABC4. The loss has shattered the family and they want to do what they can to make sure no other parent has to go through this. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“Drayke’s personality was all about people. He loved to make people laugh. He loved to do what he could to always make sure that somebody had a friend,” said Samie Hardman, Drayke’s mother. The boy had a heart of gold and always made sure to be kind to everyone around him, so they had no idea that he was being bullied at school. 


ADVERTISEMENT


 

 

The family said that stopping bullying comes from within the home.

“Deep down there’s something broken that this child took from my son, and it has to come from somewhere because like Samie said, children aren’t naturally angry,” said Andrew Hardman, Drayke’s father.

“So for him to have to attack my son to build his confidence means he was lacking something. So, in a sense, this bully was also a victim, and that’s where we need to find the solution is teaching our children that the world is broken, but they’re the generation that is going to fix it.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The family is now encouraging parents to talk to their kids about how to be kind to others so they can learn to be better humans. 

“It’s learned. It’s a conversation not only do we as parents need to sit down and have with our kids, but it’s conversations we need to have with ourselves – who are we as people and what are we unknowingly teaching our kids,” Samie said. “….I’m angry and I’m hurt and I’m broken and yet part of me just wants this bully to find peace. To be fixed. To not have any other kids fall.”

ADVERTISEMENT



 

 

Nathan Watkins, the Program Director of Wasatch Family Therapy, spoke about the psychology of bullying.

“The bully is only projecting their fears onto the others around them. And that may be true oftentimes, children develop mentally, depending on the age, and are looking to be successful amongst their peers. And so that success may come in the form of them looking to best someone else in some way, shape or form and if they don’t feel like they can do that, they might look to do that in other ways.” 

ADVERTISEMENT

He also stressed the importance of talking to children about bullying early on, stating, “Parents should start as early as kids spending time with other peers, other friends. Especially, maybe every time when they get ready to start the new school year, talking about how we can express kindness.”


ADVERTISEMENT


 

 

A GoFundMe has been set up for the grieving family to give the little one a proper farewell. 

References:

https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-boy-12-dies-by-suicide-family-raise-awareness-of-bullying/0261a646-fac2-44ab-a5e0-27cca959fcc8

https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/parents-whose-son-died-by-suicide-speak-out-against-bullying/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/draykes-funeral-expenses-for-samie-jo

Cover Image Source: GoFundMe