According to the online fundraising campaign, an Australian mother is raising funds to protect the body of her 13-year-old son after she died of suicide after “brutal bullying”.
Actress and filmmaker Clare McCann, an actress and filmmaker from NSW, launched a fundraiser on Sunday explaining that her son, Atreyu McCann, passed away on May 23.
She wrote that his teenage son “after months of horrible bullying in public schools, his life.”
The mother explained that she repeatedly asked her son’s school and education and children’s services to intervene, “but nothing was done.
The NSW Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
McCann told 7News Sydney that he was bullied from the moment his son started high school. Even after her son passed away, she said no students were subject to disciplinary action.
"None of them were suspended, they were not expelled. I was totally disappointed," she told the Australian media.
McCann is seeking $300,000 to keep his body for the next seven days - "or his chance to live again will disappear forever." Cryopreservation is the concept of frozen human death, hoping to use future medicine to restore them.
McCann wrote: "If we miss this window, we will lose any chance of revival that science may offer. It's about hope and justice. Refusing to keep my son's story silent."
During the fundraising campaign, she said she plans to use the money for “immediate cryopreservation and legal transport,” the medical and legal services of the procedure and trust in the name of her son.
McCann said she wanted to use the funds raised to ensure that "this will never happen again."
"Please help us keep our beloved Atreyu and bring his life the dignity and future that his school stole from him," the fundraiser said.
Australia's only cryogenic facility is being tried on board.
"100% sure- we're not sure. There's no guarantee. But there's a reasonable possibility," Peter Tsolakides of the Southern Freezing Agency told 7News.
According to the company's website, its mission is to promote "science-based freezing suspension as a reliable option for prolonging life." The website says the frozen suspension involves encapsulating the body, cooling it to a glass state within a few days, placing it in a stainless steel container, and maintaining a liquid nitrogen storage environment for a long time to prevent deterioration of tissues if necessary centuries.
As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $7,300 in AUD has been raised.
McCann shared an Instagram post over the weekend, announcing the death of his son.
"As my worst nightmare has come to life, my child has been stolen. This has moved my heart beyond the painful moments where words can be shared, and Atreyu took his own life."
"It's not his fault. He was disappointed by the school system when he suffered horrible bullying." "Now, I humbly beg you to help me maintain his life and help me fight this inhumane child suicide, which is caused by unchecked bullying by schools and teachers."
McCann did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline. You can also 800-273-8255text 741741 or visit showeofsuicide.com/resources to obtain other resources.