Heartbroken actress raising money to 'preserve' 13-year-old son’s body after he died by suicide
After her teenage son tragically took his own life, an Australian actress has issued her social media followers with an urgent plea.
Clare McCann - best known for her breakout role as 'Cherry' on the popular TV series Blog Party - took to Instagram on Friday (23 May) to break the news that her little boy, Atreyu, had died.
Describing the 13-year-old's death as her 'worst nightmare', McCann penned in the caption of a collection of photos: "It's with shattered hearts that we share the passing of my beautiful son, Atreyu McCann.
"He was the brightest light in my world - kind, creative, and endlessly loved."
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The 32-year-old went on to add: "Right now, we are grieving a loss that words can't hold.
"Please give us time and space as we process this unimaginable pain.
"Thank you to everyone who has supported and loved Atreyu. We'll share more when we're ready.
"For now, please hold him in your hearts."
In a tear-jerking statement shared on Monday, McCann went on to reveal that the teenager had been the victim of 'months of relentless bullying', and simply saw no way out.
"It breaks my heart beyond what words can compare to share that in a moment of unbearable pain Atreyu took his own life," she wrote online.
"This was not his fault. He was let down by the schooling system as he suffered horrendous amounts of bullying.
"Now I humbly beg of you to help me preserve his life and help me fight against this inhumane landslide of child suicides caused by unchecked bullying by schools and teachers."
In a further update shared three days later, McCann informed her followers that she and her family had begun making plans for Atreyu's funeral service, revealing she had a rather unconventional idea in mind.
In another emotional social media plea, the actress announced a new mission to raise six figures in a bid to have her son's body frozen.
Launching a brand new fundraising profile, McCann elaborated on her decision, discussing the process of cryogenic freezing.
How does cryogenic freezing work?
The scientific process sees bodies being preserved at extremely low temperatures - usually below 120 degrees - and stored at a cryonic facility.
Bodies are placed in a container filled with liquid nitrogen and coated in cryoprotectants, such as glycerol, which is administered to prevent ice crystal damage, and drained of blood.
The blood is replaced with a chemical protectant which helps to partially replace the water in the cells.
The basis behind the idea is that one day, the deceased individual may be able to be revived if medical advancements or futuristic developments so allow it.
Such is McCann's pledge. The actress shared a link on her Instagram profile, pleading with her followers to donate however much they can in order for the family to reach their $300,000 (AUD) goal for the treatment.
In the description of her new GoFundMe page, the heartbroken mum penned: "We only have one chance left to cryogenically preserve his body within the next 7 days. If we miss this window, we lose the chance for any future revival that science may offer.
"This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son’s story end in silence."
McCann continued: "I am a public figure with a national platform, and I will use every resource I have to make sure this never happens again, not just to my son, but to any other child failed by this system."
At the time of writing, $7,295 AUD has been raised.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Life, Real Life, True Life, Mental Health
Rhianna Benson