2025-05-27T20:19:00Z

---

A heart-wrenching story has emerged from Australia, where a grieving mother is striving to raise funds to cryogenically preserve her 13-year-old son’s body after he tragically took his own life. This devastating event, attributed to months of relentless bullying at school, has prompted Clare McCann, an actress and filmmaker from New South Wales, to turn to an online fundraising platform to garner support for her cause.

Clare launched the fundraiser on Sunday, detailing her son Atreyu McCann's heartbreaking story, which culminated in his suicide on May 23. In her heartfelt message, Clare poignantly expressed that her son “took his own life after months of horrific bullying at his public school.” The emotional weight of her words reflects a mother’s anguish as she confronts the unbearable loss of her child.

Throughout this painful journey, McCann reached out multiple times to Atreyu’s school and the Department of Education and Children’s Services, imploring them to take action against the bullying. Unfortunately, her pleas went unanswered. “But nothing was done. No one stepped up. And now, my beautiful boy is gone,” she lamented in the fundraiser, highlighting the systemic failures that led to this tragedy.

The New South Wales Department of Education has yet to respond to requests for comments concerning the allegations made by McCann. In an interview with 7News Sydney, McCann revealed that from the very first day of high school, Atreyu faced a barrage of bullying. The situation remained unchanged even following his death, as none of the perpetrators were disciplined. “None of them were suspended, none of them were expelled. I feel completely let down,” she criticized, emphasizing her disappointment with the educational system that was supposed to protect her child.

In a desperate bid to preserve her son's body for potential future revival, McCann has set an ambitious fundraising goal of $300,000 AUD. She specified that this amount is needed within a week, asserting, “If we miss this window, we lose the chance for any future revival that science may offer. This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son’s story end in silence,” she wrote, indicating her determination to pursue every possible avenue for preserving Atreyu’s life.

The cryogenic preservation process, or cryopreservation, involves freezing the body immediately after death, with the hope that advances in medical science could one day allow for revival. McCann indicated that the funds will also be allocated for immediate cryopreservation, legal transportation, and establishing a trust in her son’s name. Her aim is to transform her tragedy into a mission to prevent future occurrences of such tragic outcomes.

“Please help us preserve our beloved Atreyu and give his life the dignity and future that his school stole from him,” she implored in the fundraiser. The only cryogenics facility in Australia, Southern Cryonics, is prepared to assist with this endeavor. Peter Tsolakides, a representative from the company, emphasized, “100% sure — we’re not certain. No guarantees. But there’s a reasonable probability,” underscoring the uncertainties surrounding such a process.

According to the company’s website, their mission is to promote “scientifically based cryonic suspension as a credible option for life extension.” The procedure involves encasing the body, slowly cooling it to a vitrified state over several days, and subsequently storing it in a stainless-steel vessel to ensure long-term maintenance in a liquid nitrogen environment to prevent tissue deterioration.

As of Tuesday afternoon, over $7,300 AUD had been raised through the online fundraiser, but much more is needed to reach the target in time. Over the weekend, McCann shared a poignant message on Instagram announcing her son’s passing. She described the moment as her “worst nightmare” and expressed that “my child’s life has been stolen.”

She continued to articulate her heartbreak by stating, “This was not his fault. He was let down by the schooling system as he suffered horrendous amounts of bullying.” She humbly called on the public for support in not only preserving her son’s life but also in combating the rise of child suicides linked to unchecked bullying within schools.

Clare McCann did not respond to further requests for comments on Tuesday, highlighting the ongoing emotional toll of this situation.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, please reach out for help. You can call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. Additional resources are available at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.