he was called… “fat, ugly and useless”
The other children at the at Southaven Middle School picked on him, they didn’t care in the least bit about his feelings at all!
“Kids were telling him, ‘We’re gonna put hands on you. You’re not going to make it out of this bathroom.’ Things of that nature”
The family told the school and complained about the treatment of their son, but none of the teachers could stop the bullying from happening. In the end, Andy, in the sixth grade, thought enough was enough, he couldn’t stand it anymore. He was found dead in the garage, he had hung himself, his brother, 16-years-old and also suffering from bullying had found him, such sadness for the family, but especially for him, seeing him like he did.
“Another story just came to mind. Andy loved to learn how to cook. He wasn’t always good at it but he loved it. I came home from work one day (this happened several times) and sitting on my nightstand would be something he made. Once, it was sliced potatoes that were dang near raw lol But he always thought about things he could do for me, help me with, he loved doing special things for me”

“I also remember each time I’d give him a bath. I’d get him out of the tub and stand him up on the toilet to dry him off. One night he said, “Mommy, I don’t want to eat anymore.” I said “what?? Why baby?” And he said “if I eat I’ll get bigger. And then you won’t be able to hold me anymore.” God I miss my baby so much”

“I am on a crusade that I plan to not stop”
His mom hopes that Andy’s death won’t be in vain, that more and more people will join the fight against bullying. Cheryl writes on her Facebook:“Please share!! We need people to attend this. If your child is being bullied, you need to be here. If you know children being bullied, you need to be here. If you have children growing up and beginning school, you need to be here. Let’s allow Andy’s Voice to make a difference!! Share this event and tag everyone you know!”

“All bullying reports are treated with the utmost importance. Students and parents are encouraged to contact school officials anytime there are bullying concerns, and they can use a link on the DeSoto County Schools website if they would prefer to report bullying incidents anonymously. All claims are investigated thoroughly, and school counselors are trained to help students and intervene when they are aware of a situation. Our hearts go out to this young student’s friends and family.”
