Gay teen cried hysterically and told of torment day before he took his own life
A friend of Tyrone Unsworth, who took his own life after two years of bullying, has told of how he cried hysterically at the torment the day before.
Gypsie-Lee Edwards Kennard told local news show ABC’s 7.30 that her friend, 13, spoke of being bullied, taunted and even hit over the head with a fence paling in the months prior.
“He was an absolute mess, crying his eyes out and telling me everyone wants him dead and I said, “Tyrone, what do you mean everyone wants you dead?”,’ she said of the conversation she had with Tyrone on a fishing trip the day before his death.
“He said, ‘The kids at school keep telling me to go kill myself’, and I was obviously gobsmacked,” she said.
“He just felt like no-one wanted him around and he didn’t belong.”
Ms Edwards Kennard said the bullying escalated one month ago when a student he often fought with hit him.
“[The other students] did call him nasty names, like f****t and fairy,” she said.
“A kid and him, they fight a lot, this kid picked up a fence paling and hit him from behind and knocked him out and broke Tyrone’s jaw,” she said.
The family of the teen has continued to be tormented since his death, with fake profiles set up sending homophobic messages.
His mother, Manda Unsworth, told the Courier Mail: “He was a really feminine male, he loved fashion, he loved make-up and the boys always picked on him, calling him gay-boy, f****t, fairy; it was a constant thing from Year 5.”
Writing online, she said: “I know your pain free now son and they cant pick on you anymore, but this shouldn’t of had to happen,” Amanda wrote online after seeing her son’s lifeless body.
“I just wanted him to wake up and come home with me.
“All of this Because of BULLIES thinking there tough ero’s. now i dont have my SON never will i ever get to see my beautiful boy alive.”
Unsworth had been hospitalised recently after being hit in the jaw with a fence paling.
His mother Amanda said he did not want to go back to school after he recovered.
The 13-year-old’s funeral took place on 1 December.
Of those attending the ceremony, his mother asked that they wear bright colours to say goodbye to her “happy-go-lucky” son
Unsworth’s school principal, Jacquita Miller said she was not aware of the bullying, which took place at the Aspley State High School.
She said she was “sympathetic to all” affected by his death.
His mother said he had wanted to be a vet of a fashion designer and that he had always been happy to offer her style tips.
A gofundme page has been set up by Gypsie, who says she is a family friend of Amanda Unsworth, and that she is attempting to help raise funds to cover his funeral costs.
If you have been affected by issues in this article, and live in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116 123. If you are a young person in the US in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk, call the Trevor Lifeline now at 866-488-7386. If you are an adult in need of support in the US, please call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-8255. If you are in Australia, contact the Australian Samaritans.
