On May 22, 2019 at 4:27pm, I got the worst phone call. My sister had called to let me know that my 15 year old niece Savannah was found unresponsive in her bedroom. I needed to get to the hospital asap! I packed up my children in a hurry. I rushed to the hospital as fast as I could while Savannah was being life-flighted to Cleveland Clinic.
We were told she was brain dead but they needed to wait another 24 hours to officially declare her brain dead. My niece was on life support for a few days. I watched my family break into a million pieces. My niece was taken off life support and passed away on May 26, 2019 at 12:12am. She was 15 years old.
May 22nd was a great day for my niece. She had received awards at school. My sister took pictures and posted them. She looked so happy, but little did we know a few hours later she would be fighting for her life.
Savannah was battling depression from being bullied by other kids at school. Let me tell you, she was the most beautiful red head! She was well-liked and funny.
She was being bullied by four kids who were telling her, “I bet you won’t kill yourself.” Just like most teens, her hormones and feelings were out of control. The bullying got into her head. She went home that evening and took some pills while a friend was on FaceTime. Her friend came to find her and her stepdad started CPR.
These 4 kids get to live their lives and do everything my niece will never get to do. Her passing has broken my family into a million pieces. We will never be the same because of bullying. You would think these bullies would feel bad but rumor has it they just laughed about it while her friends struggled with her passing.
We just never know what someone is going through, especially our youth. These kids may be smiling on the outside but in the inside they are struggling and afraid. Some peope don't even feel worthy of living anymore. Mental health is a serious issue, especially when it comes to victims of bullies when nothing is being done about it.
I wish parents would talk to their children about how dangerous bullying is. Just maybe my niece would still be alive and going off to college in the fall. Instead of me going to watch her drive off, I'm driving to her grave site. She had a line out the door at her funeral. If only love could have saved her.
Please talk to your child about bullying and mental health. Maybe someone else's life can be saved. RIP Savannah, 5-26-2019.
