A family is mourning the loss of their 10-year-old son after he ended his life. The boy endured relentless bullying from his classmates since last year, and the family repeatedly addressed their concerns with school administrators.
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Sam Teusch explained to WTHR that his son, Sammy, was known for his spontaneity and infectious smile. On May 5, the boy took his life, and Sam said his son was still being bullied up until the night of his death. “I held him in my arms. I did the thing no father should ever have to do, and any time I close my eyes, it’s all I can see,” the grieving father stated. Before Sammy’s death, Sam and his wife, Nicole, reported complaints about the bullying 20 times since it started last year when he was in elementary school.
The bullying continued at Greenfield Intermediate School, and the couple says Sammy was constantly bullied about his glasses and teeth. However, the taunting turned physical when Sammy was assaulted on a school bus. Despite the complaints, school administrators and a counselor reportedly met with the family, but there was no resolution. Also, the family limited Sammy’s social media use but the bullying continued on platforms such as Snapchat.
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“‘I’m going to beat you up when you get to school.’ Saying mean things about his mom, which would really, really set him off,” Sam recalled. Although the couple would offer advice and encourage Sammy to listen to the people who loved him, he became more withdrawn and stopped opening up.
They believe his suicide was triggered by the fear of going to school after a bathroom incident the previous week and ongoing harassment. Sammy was laid to rest on May 15. Nicole said it was “heartwrenching” not being able to hug her son before bed.
“I always tell the kids to brush their teeth and get ready for bed because Sammy and his sister went to bed first since they were younger. Not having him there to hug before bed is heart-wrenching,” Nichole expressed.