Hundreds of people, including more than 100 bikers, showed up to mourn an Indiana 10-year-old boy who killed himself — reportedly after suffering months of horrific bullying at school.
Tearful mourners arrived at the Brandywine Church on Tuesday accompanied by a fleet of bikers to say goodbye to Sammy Teusch, a fourth-grader at Greenfield Intermediate School who was bullied right up until the night he took his own life, WTHR reports.
The bikers, who volunteered with the Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry, revered their motorcycles as Sammy’s uncles and older brothers carried the tiny casket out of the church and into a hearse.
The riders then joined a procession headed to a Greenfield cemetery, where Sammy was put to rest.
The boy’s family and classmates were seen sobbing, hugging each other, and placing flowers over the casket during the burial.
“Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry was honored to be able to participate in the funeral escort for Sammy Teusch,” the group said in a statement. “Rain or shine, [the] motorcycle community came together once again supporting a family in need.”
Sammy’s parents, Sam and Nicole, said their son was the victim of relentless bullying that started last year, with the bullies targeting the boy over his teeth and glasses.
“He was beat up on the school bus, and the kids broke his glasses and everything,” Sam told the local outlet.
The Teusch’s said they complained to the school roughly 20 times about the bullying, but claim nothing was ever done to help their son.
“I called the school, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse,’”Sam added.
The school district’s superintendent, Dr. Harold Olin, denied any bullying reports had ever been submitted by either the parents or the boy.
Nicole believes that her son took his own life over the constant bullying, which reached a boiling point following an unspecified incident in a bathroom last week that left him too afraid to go to school.
“He was my little boy. He was my baby. He was the youngest one,” she told WTHR.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.