Cryogenic freezing process explained as actress raises funds to preserve 13-year-old son after he died by suicide

An Australian actress has sent out a desperate plea to her fans after tragically losing her child to suicide last week, with her announcing her goal to have his body cryogenically frozen.

Clare McCann, who is best known for her breakout role as 'Cherry' on the popular TV series Blog Party, announced on Friday (23 May) the heartbreaking news that her 13-year-old son, Atreyu, had died.

Explaining the monumental loss as her 'worst nightmare', the grieving mother later said in a statement on Monday (26 May) 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 on social media. "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."

Australian TV actress Clare McCann has opened up on social media about the tragic death of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu (Instagram/@claremccannofficial)

McCann's goal

In a follow-up message, the actress announced a new mission to raise a six-figure sum in a bid to have her son's body cryogenically frozen.

She elaborated on the decision in a GoFundMe post where she discussed the process of cryogenic freezing and shared with supporters that she needed $300,000 (AUD) for the treatment.

But what does the cryogenic freezing process entail?

Clare has issued a desperate plea to raise $300,00 to cryogenically freeze her late teenage son (Instagram/@claremccannofficial)

Cryogenic freezing explained

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.

At the time of writing, $13,375 AUD has been raised out of the six-figure sum goal (Instagram/@claremccannofficial)

McCann's pledge

In the description of her 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, $13,375 AUD has been raised.

You can donate to the GoFundMe here.

If you're experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677.