Culture
The tragic case of Drayke Hardman, the 12-year-old boy who committed suicide after being a victim of bullying
Drayke Hardman’s relatives decided to share what happened to raise awareness among other parents
February 16, 2022 8:00am
Updated: February 16, 2022 7:05pm
The United States is shocked by the case of Drayke Hardman, a 12-year-old boy who committed suicide after suffering physical and verbal harassment from a schoolmate.
While mourning, his parents, Samie and Andrew Hardman, decided to share his story to raise awareness among parents to educate their children about the consequences of bullying.
Last February 9, Drayke's two older sisters found him unconscious in his room. "Every time I close my eyes at night, I hear that scream 'Drayke! Drayke!'" the father said. The child was immediately taken to the hospital.
“The nurse told me ‘if we're going to save him, now is the time,' and my instinct was to scream 'save my baby!'" the mother said, but their lives changed in a matter of seconds when their efforts were not enough.
Drayke Hardman passed away at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital in Utah on the morning of February 10.
Drayke's death resulted from a year of enduring physical and emotional aggression from a classmate, claimed his parents. The situation was so bad that his mother went so far as to ask him, "Do you think about suicide, do you think about hurting yourself? And he said 'no.'"
At that point, the school took action against the perpetrator, who was temporarily suspended. However, the harassment continued.
Drayke's family members have shared posts on their social networks addressing the situation to raise awareness about bullying of children and adolescents in schools.
"What could make a 12-year-old boy lose so much hope in his heart as to (...) take his own life? One word: bullying,” said Andrew Hardman.
Drayke’s case prompted the #DoItForDrayke campaign on Instagram, intending to have thousands of people raise awareness on the issue that affects 7 out of 10 children in the world, according to ONS Bullying Without Borders.
"Kids will do whatever they want until they know it's not right," said Samie Hardman.
