Family speaks out against bullying after 14-year-old takes his own life
BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS OF
BALL. MORRO CASTLE.
>> TONIGHT, A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
FOR A 13 YEAR-OLD BOY WHO TOOK
HIS OWN LIFE INSIDE SCHOOL
WALLS. AND WENDELL, THIS WEEK,
HIS DEATH HAS SENT RIPPLING
EFFECTS OF SADNESS AND GRIEF
THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN PENDERGRASS WAS HIS
NAME.
>> HIS FAMILY SAID THAT HE WAS
BULLIED AND THEY FELT ALONE IN
THEIR FIGHT TO ADDRESS THAT
WRAL'S CHELSEA DONOVAN JOINS
US LIVE WITH THEIR STORY.
>> DAN, IN 2 HOURS, THIS IS
WHERE FAMILY, FRIENDS AND
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE GATHER
FOR A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HERE
AT WHEN DOLE'S TOWN SQUARE.
YOU'LL RECALL THAT AUSTIN TOOK
HIS OWN LIFE INSIDE THE MIDDLE
SCHOOL THIS WEEK. IT'S
PROMPTING A LARGER CONVERSATION
ABOUT SUICIDE AND BULLYING AND
HOW YOU TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN
ABOUT THIS BUT ALSO HOW YOU
RECOGNIZE SIGNS THAT IT COULD
BE HAPPENING TO YOUR OWN CHILD.
>> BECAUSE THIS IS A RIPPLE
EFFECT EFFECT ACROSS THE SCHOOL
ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. IT'S SAFE
TO SAY THE WINDOW COMMUNITY
AND BEYOND IS GRIEVING RIGHT
ALONGSIDE THE PENDERGRASS
FAMILY. I WOULDN'T WISH THIS
ON ANY PARENT UNBEARABLE,
UNIMAGINABLE PAIN. AFTER 13
YEAR-OLD AUSTIN PENDER GRASS
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE INSIDE WHEN
DELL MIDDLE SCHOOL TUESDAY, THE
FAMILY SAID HE HAD BEEN BULLIED
FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND EVEN CUT
HIS WRISTS LAST WEEK IN SCHOOL
THAT I REALLY HOPE FIT.
IT CAN BRING SOME AWARENESS TO
OTHER PARENTS TO CHECK ON THEIR
KIDS THE MAIN GO THROUGH THEIR
SOCIAL MEDIA, GO THROUGH THEIR
PHONES. BULLION CAN HAPPEN
ONLINE VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY
SAYS MARISSA MAYER SEANEY.
>> ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, AN UNC
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION WAS
BULLYING. SOMEONE ELSE IS A
SIGN THAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING
WITH SOME OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
SHE SAYS SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY
BE SUFFERING FROM BULLYING
COULD INCLUDE BEING MORE
WITHDRAWN, ANXIOUS OR
DEPRESSED, EVEN FEELINGS OF
HOPELESSNESS. BUT THE WAY KIDS
TALK ABOUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS
MATCH THAT. SHE SAYS ONE IN
5 CHILDREN REPORT CONSIDERING
SUICIDE.
>> A TOUGH TOPIC ALONG WITH
BULLYING THAT ALL PARENTS NEED
TO BE DISCUSSING WITH THEIR
CHILDREN TONIGHT. THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR MY CHILD OPEN
UP TO ME AND MAYBE THEY'LL TALK
MORE TO ME. DARTING OFF BY
ASKING KIDS WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THEIR SCHOOL. WHAT THEY KNOW
ABOUT THE TOPIC, HAVE OTHER
KIDS TALKED ABOUT IT AND KNOW
THE SIGNS THAT OFTEN COULD LEAD
TO SUICIDE IDEATION OR
CONTEMPLATION STAINED THINGS
LIKE THEY FEEL TRAPPED OR IN
UNBEARABLE PAIN. REALLY
DISTRESSED PULL OUT OF VERBAL
ALERTS. PENDER GRASS BELIEVES
MORE HELP NEEDS TO BE AVAILABLE
FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALIKE.
BUT I THINK THEY MAY NEED TO
MAKE SOME SERIOUS.
>> CHANGES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
WITH HOW THEY ADDRESS MENTAL
HEALTH, HOW THEY ADDRESS
BULLYING THROUGH ALL OF THIS
FELT REALLY ALONE IN LOST IN
HOW TO HELP HIM.
>> A LOT OF ADVICE COMING OFF
OF THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
NOW WE ASKED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
IN WAKE COUNTY IF THERE WAS
EVIDENCE OF BULLYING INSIDE THE
SCHOOL AND THEY DID SAY THAT
THIS IS A PRIVATE MATTER OR WE
SHOULD MENTION THAT THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM DOES HAVE A HOTLINE TO
REPORT BULLYING. AND WE ALSO
HAVE GUIDES AND RESOURCES
COUNTY BY COUNTY, ALL THE
THINGS THAT YOU NEED SHOULD YOU
NEED HELP?
>> THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.
WRAL DOT COM. TALK TO YOU.
CHELSEA DONOVAN REPORTING.
THANK YOU. AND WE KNOW THAT
THERE ARE.
>> MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO DO
NEED HELP OR PERHAPS YOU KNOW,
SOMEONE WHO NEEDS HELP AND
YOU'RE NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO
ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. YOU NEED
SOME GUIDANCE. THEY HAVE A HOT
LINE, A SUICIDE HOTLINE.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DIAL IS 9, 8,