NEW YORK — A 14-year-old boy from New York who warned in Internet postings that he felt suicidal because of anti-homosexual bullying has been found dead outside his home.

Jamey Rodemeyer became the latest in a string of suicides by young Americans who had been abused or ridiculed - in several cases over the Internet - because of their sexuality.

Jamey, from Williamsville, complained that he was being viciously abused after talking online about his confusion over whether he was homosexual.

In May, he recorded a video message for the "It Gets Better" campaign, through which young gay people, along with celebrities and national figures such as President Barack Obama, try to encourage each other to remain hopeful through difficult experiences.

"People would just keep sending me hate, telling me that gay people go to hell," he said in the recording, which was posted to YouTube.

Jamey, who had just begun high school, received support from his parents, Tracy and Tim Rodemeyer, and went through counselling. Recently "he was saying how great school was going, how happy he was, his grades were great", his father said.

But in retrospect, Mr Rodemeyer said, "he fooled everybody. He put on a brave face and I wish he wouldn't have."

Anonymous contributors were posting abusive messages under posts Jamey had made to Formspring, a social networking site, where he continued to discuss his unhappiness.

"Jamie is stupid, fat, gay and ugly. He must die!," one post said. Another read: "I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it:) It would make everyone WAY more happier!"

In an online posting earlier this month, Jamey wrote: "I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens. What do I have to do so people will listen to me?"

The day before, he wrote: "No one in my school cares about preventing suicide" and reminded his readers that it was national suicide prevention week. He then posted the lyrics to a song by the group Hollywood Undead, which read: "I just wanna say good bye, disappear with no one knowing."

On Sunday, Jamey made two final posts to one of his blogs - one saying he was looking forward to seeing his late great-grandmother, and another in tribute to Lady Gaga, his favourite singer, who inspired him with her anthem to self-confidence Born This Way. His body was found on Monday.

"He was the sweetest, kindest kid you'd ever know," his mother said. "He would give all his heart to you before he gave any to himself."

Mrs Rodemeyer said her son's "number one mission in life, why he was put here a short time" had been to campaign against bullying. "And if that means I have to carry it on for him, I will," she said.

Dan Savage, the author and columnist who started the "It Gets Better" campaign, said: "His tormentors need to be held to account, not prosecuted or persecuted, but held to account for their actions, for their hate, for the harm they've caused."

Several high-profile cases in the U.S. have prompted calls for greater support for young homosexual people suffering from bullying. In his May recording, Jamey had said: "Just love yourself and you're set. And I promise you, it'll get better."

Mr Savage said: "Sometimes hope isn't enough. Sometimes the damage done by hate and by haters is simply too great. Sometimes the future seems too remote. Those are the times our hearts break."

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Even after a teen-ager tragically committed suicide in suburban Buffalo this month in the wake of constant harassment, the bullying allegedly did not stop with his death.

The parents of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, who was found dead at their home on Sept. 18, indicated in an exclusive interview with TODAY's Ann Curry on Tuesday that their daughter endured further taunts at a school function immediately after Jamey's wake. At a homecoming dance she attended shortly after her brother's death, a potentially poignant moment turned ugly after a song by Lady Gaga, Jamey's favorite artist, who recently dedicated a song at a concert in his memory.

“She was having a great time, and all of a sudden a Lady Gaga song came on, and they all started chanting for Jamey, all of his friends,'' Jamey's mother, Tracy, told Curry. “Then the bullies that put him into this situation started chanting, ‘You're better off dead!' and ‘We're glad you're dead!' and things like that.
“My daughter came home all upset. It was supposed to be a time for her to grieve and have fun with her friends, and it turned into bullying even after he's gone.''

“I can't grasp it in my mind,'' said Tim Rodemeyer, Jamey's father. “ I don't know why anyone would do that. They have no heart, that's basically what it comes down to.''

‘No one listens'
Tracy Rodemeyer was outfitted in a bandanna that Jamey had made for Lady Gaga and in a shirt that read “It Gets Better,'' referring to the It Gets Better Project,' to which Jamey was a contributor. The organization aims to give support to gay and lesbian youth who may be targets of harassment and discrimination.

Lady Gaga dedicated a song at one of her recent concerts to the late teen, saying, “Let's do this one for Jamey,'' and later adding, “Jamey, I know you're up there looking at us. You're not a victim.''

Ottawa teen details final suicidal thoughts on blog

CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Mon. Oct. 17 2011 6:36 PM ET

He also referred to the "It Gets Better" campaign, which urges young people to stay strong as they struggle to come to terms with their sexual orientation and the acceptance of others. Hubley said he had trouble believing it would ever "get better."

"I dont want to wait 3 more years, this hurts too much. How do you even know It will get better? Its not."

In other happier posts, Hubley posted about his love of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and the TV show Glee. But he also wrote of his depression and anger about being called a "fag" at school.

In a post from three weeks ago, Hubley wrote that he hated feeling like he was the only gay guy in his school, A.Y. Jackson Secondary School in Kanata.

"I hate being the only open gay guy in my school… It f***ing sucks, I really want to end it. Like all of it, I not getting better theres 3 more years of highschool left," he wrote.

He also said the medications he was taking weren't working, nor was the psychological therapy.

"Iv been on 4 different anti -depressants, none of them worked. I'v been depressed since january, How f***ing long is this going to last."

In a statement released Monday, Allan Hubley said his son was bullied for years at school, a factor that he believes contributed to Jamie's decision to take his own life.

In Grade 7, the boy was treated "very cruelly" because he favoured figure skating over hockey, while in high school, posters for a program he tried to create that would foster acceptance were torn down.

"Jamie asked a question no child should have to ask -- why do people say mean things to me?" Alan Hubley's statement read.

"He was called vicious names in the hallways, he thought it would never stop."

Gay rights advocate Jeremy Dias said gay youth often feel different from their peers, which can increase feelings of loneliness.

He said despite the name of the "It Gets Better" initiative, "things don't just magically get better. Things are made better. And Jamie said it so clearly in his messages, that he can't wait for things to just get better, that we as a community have to decide to make things better."

The Hubley family is the second prominent family in Ottawa to lose a teen to suicide in a year. Last November, 14-year-old Daron Richardson, daughter of Ottawa Senators assistant coach Luke Richardson, also killed herself after she too battled depression.

Each year in Canada, about 500 teenagers die from suicide. Studies have shown that more than 90 per cent of teens who try to take their life have a mental health problem such as depression, manic depression, schizophrenia, or substance abuse problems.

"Jamie is free of his pain now and there is a new angel," Allan Hubley said, "but we have paid too high a price."

This is such a sad story. Something like this should never have happened....but I doubt it will end.