“I Can’t Stand School Any Longer “. 11 Year Old Child Commits Suicide For Bullying

Bullying or bullying is a current reality in society. To combat it, the first step is to realize that it exists and that it can appear at different ages. 

Today we want to tell you a very sad story that should make us think. Diego, an 11-year-old Spanish boy, committed suicide on October 14, 2015. The reason? Bullying  in school.

We all know what bullying is and what this physical and psychological aggression can mean in a child’s life.

But how did it come about that an 11-year-old was forced to make such a drastic decision? Not only does the loss of a young person affect us, the question also arises as to why institutions such as schools or social institutions did not recognize Diego’s reality.

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that contains data that should make us think. For example, around 600,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 28 take their own lives each year, at least half of them as a result of bullying or bullying.

Because of bullying at school: saying goodbye to a very special child

Diego lived in Legenés, a suburb of Madrid, where he spent 11 years of his life. Until he could no longer, no longer wanted to live and decided to put an end to his suffering, the pressure and the harassment at school.

He made the decision to jump from the balcony of his parents’ apartment on the 5th floor. 

Some think that suicide is an act of cowardice as the victims do not know how to cope with life’s troubles. But nobody has the right to criticize or label someone who dares to take such a drastic step.

Diego’s story is an example of how serious bullying is. Diego’s parents made the difficult decision to publish their beloved son’s farewell letter and thus to report his tragic fate to the responsible authorities in Madrid.

Diego was a good student who no longer wanted to go to school because of bullying

Diego brought home good grades, was hardworking and his parents were proud of him. His mother says that he was always in a hurry to get away from school when she came to pick him up, as if he was fleeing from something or someone.

He was only happy in the summer when the holidays started and he no longer had to go to school. Parents also remember he was hoarse for 4 months. The doctor diagnosed a nervous hoarseness caused by high stress.

• The family never knew what Diego feared or what exactly his reality was like in school.
• After an investigation was opened at the school, the school stated that no problems were known and no incident had been reported.

A school’s ability to detect bullying is not always sufficient, but what is obvious is a child’s sadness. Both the teachers and the students observe, hear and keep silent.

So far there is no one responsible for Diego’s death,  so the parents try to make us all aware of the extent of the harassment and aggression that caused their son to commit suicide.

The suicide note from Diego

Diego wrote a farewell letter to his parents. He left a note on the window sill from which he threw himself to his death, on which it was written “Look at Lucho”.

Lucho was Diego’s favorite plush toy.

Lucho was the silent figure that contained the last words of this 11-year-old boy, with which he said goodbye to his family – mature, admirable and moving. Because Diego was without a doubt a very special child.

In Diego’s farewell letter read the following:

“ Papa, Mama, these 11 years with you have been wonderful and I will never forget them, just as I will never forget you. Papa, you taught me to be a good person, to keep promises and you played with me a lot.

Mom, you took great care of me and took me everywhere. You are both wonderful and together the best parents in the world.

Grandma, you endured a lot because of me and because of dad, I am very grateful to you for that and I love you very much. Grandpa, you’ve always been very generous with me and taken care of me. I love you very much. Lolo, you helped me a lot with my homework and treated me well.

I wish you luck so that you can see Eli. I am telling you this because I can no longer bear going to school and there is no other way not to go there. 

Please, I hope that one day you will hate me a little less. I ask you not to split up, dad and mom, only when you are together will I be happy.

I will miss you and I hope that one day we will see each other again in heaven. Well, I say goodbye forever.

Signed by Diego. Ah, one more thing, Grandma, I hope that you will find work soon. “

Diego Gonzalez.

What can you do for your child

It is impossible to read these lines without being affected by it. And to put yourself in the parents’ shoes and empathize  with them. It is important that we all fight bullying and protect the victims within our means and our reality:

• It is crucial to raise our children with emotional intelligence,  to teach them compassion and respect for others and for themselves.
• Aggressive behavior at school, on the street or at home must be recognized and reported.

• The victims must be cared for without excluding or marginalizing them. It is necessary to teach them strategies to deal with the situation. To strengthen their self-esteem and to achieve that they can enjoy life and their future again and forge new plans.
• Mobbying not only happens in school,  pressure and aggression can also be exerted via social networks, and here too children usually have free access.

We know that Diego will not be the last to voluntarily seek death. The WHO numbers are shocking. At least we hope that these will decrease every year and that we can all help to achieve this.