The father of Daniel Fitzpatrick, a 13-year-old boy who died by suicide after relentless bullying by his peers, has posted a truly heartbreaking video to Facebook.
Daniel Snr’s grief is inescapable as he explains his dissatisfaction with the way Daniel’s school handled the bullying, as well as his utter disdain for the other young people who made Daniel’s life a living hell.
Fitzpatrick says that the school, Holy Angels Catholic Academy in Staten Island, New York, asked his son if he was in counselling, asked him to “try harder” and told him “it would pass.”
The grieving father also describes the children who bullied his son as “disgusting little monsters.”
Speaking to the parents of the bullies, Fitzpatrick said “I hope you never, never have to feel what my family is going through right now. You get to hold your children every night and day for the rest of your lives and their natural lives. I don’t get that anymore. Your little monsters took that from me and my wife and his sisters.”
Daniel was found by his 17-year-old sister Kristen.
Fitzpatrick refers to his son as “kind, gentle soul. He didn’t have a mean bone in his body.”
“I have no words to describe the pain I’m feeling right now.”
The 18-minute long video has been shared over a thousand times in the last two days.
Daniel also shared this message with bullies who tormented his son.
The video is a stark reminder of the earth-shattering consequences that bullying can have.
If you’re sending your kids back to school later this month, make sure they’re well aware of the harm that can come to people who are treated badly by their peers.
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