14-year-old bullying victim Jamey Rodemeyer committed suicide this week. He kept a number of blogs and online writings, posting the “It Gets Better, I Promise” video embedded above–a heartbreaking portrait of a young writer.
Rodemeyer’s mother shared this tribute at The Buffalo News: “He touched so many hearts, so many people … I didn’t realize how many people he touched. He was the sweetest, kindest kid you’d ever know. He would give all his heart to you before he gave any to himself.”
Below, we’ve collected five different ways writers and readers can help fight bullying and save lives.
1. Share age-appropriate books about bullying with the kids in your life.
2. Support community groups like Bully Me Not that share anti-bullying books with libraries.
3. Visit StopBullying.gov for more resources on both cyberbullying and LGBT bullying.
4. Share the Facebook page for Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories, an anthology edited by Megan Kelley Hall and Carrie Jones.
5. Support mentoring programs like the projects at Beatbullying or hotlines like The Trevor Project.