The community of Greenfield, Indiana, a small town, experienced a terrible incident recently, and it remains in agony and disbelief. On May 5th, Sammy Teusch, a ten-year-old boy, committed suicide after being relentless bullying at school over his glasses and teeth. His parents, Sam and Nichole, had reported the bullying to the school numerous times, but their pleas for help fell on deaf ears.
NEW: Over 100 bikers turn out to show their support for 10-year-old Sammy Teusch who took his own life after being bullied for years for his teeth and glasses.
Rest in peace, Sammy.
Sammy’s motorcycle escort was hosted by Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry.
His parents… PIC.TWITTER.COM/1MW1CSKBWQ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) MAY 16, 2024
Friends and family said Sammy was the best kid around with a great personality at his funeral. Sammy was sharp, funny, and kind, and his radiant spirit touched everyone he met. But he was battling a horror that no youngster should encounter beneath the gee-whiz-good times above the sad surface.
On the fateful day of his funeral, the community came together in a powerful show of solidarity. Hundreds of people, including more than 100 bikers from the Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry, showed up to mourn the loss of this young life. Tearful mourners arrived at the Brandywine Church, their sorrow echoed by the roar of the motorcycles that accompanied them.
As Sammy’s uncles and older brothers carried the tiny casket out of the church, the bikers revved their motorcycles, a poignant tribute to a life cut short too soon. They then joined a procession to a Greenfield cemetery, where Sammy was laid to rest. The sight of Sammy’s family and classmates sobbing, hugging each other, and placing flowers over the casket was a heart-wrenching reminder of the devastating impact of bullying.
Sammy’s parents, Sam and Nicole, shared that their son had been the victim of relentless bullying that started last year. The bullies targeted Sammy over his glasses and teeth.
via-dailymailThe harassment escalated to a recent incident on a school bus where Sammy was beaten up. Sammy’s parents claimed they told teachers and school staff about the bullying 20 times but no action was taken. His father, Sam, said, “They were making fun of him for his glasses in the beginning, then on to make fun of his teeth. It went on for a long time.”
The abuse then got physical.
“He was beat up on the school bus, and the kids broke his glasses and everything,” Sam added. “I called the school, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse. And it’s not getting any better. In fact, it’s getting worse.’”
Neighbor Andrew McIntosh, who delivered Sammy’s eulogy, recalled how Sammy quickly befriended his son Judah after moving into the neighborhood. He described Sammy as a handsome little boy who could have been pulled right out of an Andy Griffith episode or a Norman Rockwell painting. He added that Sammy was popular among the local kids and was often seen with the biggest grin on his face.
“He just looked up at me sweating, those glasses that rose up on his cheeks over a smile that was way too big for his little face,” McIntosh said. “But when he did smile, and I mean really smile, he just seemed to suck the darkness out of every corner in the room.”
A candlelight vigil is planned for Friday in Greenfield as the small town continues to reel from Sammys tragic suicide. Nichole stated that her son may have taken his life due to non-stop bullying in person, with the mother claiming that Sammy did not want to return to school after an incident in a bathroom he previous week.
While Sammys home community grieves, they also fight. More than one hundred bikers, parents, and friends are thundering down the road together in search of change. They come with the purpose of forcing change and demanding that the authorities recognize the need for justice. Sadly, Sammys tragic story has become their biggest and loudest voice. It is their plea to the world to recognize the need for compassion and to recognize the need to save our bullied children. It is their plea for Sammy to never happen again. It is a reminder that words hurt and everyone should be strong.
