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Family says Bullying Caused Teen To Take Life

Maureen Wurtz

PAULLINA (KPTM)- Bullying at school and on facebook claims the life of yet another teen victim.

This time, a young man kills himself after being harassed, and the family of the victim said he was pushed over the edge.

14-year-old Kenneth Weishun's family members are remembering their brother. "His smile, is what got everyone going," said his sister, Kayla.

They are remembering their nephew. "He always held his head high," said Kenneth's uncle.

Photo's and memories are all they have left of the high school freshman. "They pushed him over, and he took his life," said his Uncle.

The family said Kenneth was bullied in school after coming out.  "There's a certain part in the hallway where he'd walk by, they'd shout names at him and everything," said Kayla.

It didn't stop there; the family said he got 20 threatening voicemail's from a caller with a blocked caller ID.  "Saying they were going to come kill him if he didn't kill himself and that God hated gays," remembered Kayla.

The bulling didn't start and end with the school day, but went viral when one bully created a facebook page titled ‘People Against Gays.'

"They would comment on his pictures, his statuses, on his wall, and anything that he had put on there. They'd comment on it saying…no one likes you and God hates gays. That was on of the biggest ones, God hates gays," said Kayla.

One bully added all of Kenneth's friends to the page, and although none joined, he misunderstood and thought he was truly alone, said Kayla.

"To make someone feel so horrible about themselves, to feel worthless, to make them hate themselves like they did to my brother, it's just sickening. It makes me sick," said Kayla.

Kenneth took his own life, Sunday April 15^th.  Now, instead of a facebook page filled with hate, there's one with love, titled "Remember Kenneth James Weishun." The hateful posts that taunted Kenneth during his life are replaced by ones of support and love, from all over the world.

"The bullying has got to stop, enough's enough," said Kenneth's Uncle.

The family hopes their cry for an end to bullying is being heard.

Kenneth was a freshman at South O'Brien High School in Paullina, Iowa.  The family said some of the bullying took place within the school.  The superintendent said, though this was a tragedy-the school tried to prevent it and when bullying goes online, it's hard for anyone to police.