Kim Loik, the mother of a 15-year-old Canadian boy who committed suicide this week, is calling for sweeping legislation to address cyber-bullying across the country.
Loik claims her son, Todd, had initially been targeted by bullies in the schoolyard five years ago and only recently began receiving insults and threats online, more specifically through his Facebook page. Loik told the National Post this week that Todd wouldn’t let her see a chain of taunts he received the night before he took his life. She “told him to go to bed and not worry about it.”
They’re “disgusting,” Kim said of the messages, which she is now using in a crusade to help end the vicious cycle. “They have pages and pages of taunts and abuse. They were the nastiest things I’ve ever heard. I can’t even repeat — some of the things were just disgusting.”
Kim said she was unsure of why her son was targeted for torment, but the treatment had become so unbearable that the two planned to escape by moving back to their hometown of Edmonton, Alberta later this year. Shannon Lessard, a spokeswoman for North Battleford Comprehensive High School, where Todd was enrolled in 10th grade, said school officials were unaware of the bullying because it had gone unreported.
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Kim has since set up a Facebook page in memory of Todd — Todd Loik’s Safe Haven. In the months to come, she has also vowed to lobby for laws across Canada that will protect victims of bullying and their families.
On Wednesday, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall told reporters that the province is looking into anti-bullying initiatives.
marc sfe
Ms Loik. Please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your son. I cannot begin to imagine the heartbreak. I wish you ever success in your efforts for the legislation.
Mr. E. Jones
It’s becoming pretty clear that Facebook is the spawn of Satan. All these teen suicides seem to stem from online bullying. What I don’t understand is why bullied kids–and their parents–continue to use it. If someone was harassing me on FB, I would surely close it down. Same with Twitter, and all those other unnecessary online social forums.
Harley
Ok. Why are the bullies getting away with murder. Charges should be filed and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I don’t do Facebook, don’t like Facebook, and I in courage everyone I know to avoid it. Why put personal information out there which someone can use against you. This mother should take all the bullying messages straight (pardon) to prosecutors. These bullies deserve prison time, where they can “receive” what they gave.
Pitou
This is really sad. My heart goes out to his family and friends. One of the hardest deaths to overcome has got to be suicide. There are no “Goodbyes”, there are very few reasons if any, and you are left with far more questions then answers. Being a victim of relentless bullies throughout my school years, I can absolutely sympathize with these young people who feel they have no recourse and no one available to turn to. No one is on their side. It feels like theres no way out. Your soul is tormented. My heart breaks each and every time I hear of these suicides.
My brother committed suicide May 2012, and even though it wasn’t because of bullying, it absolutely tore everyone who loved him apart. It took months and months for many of my siblings (and I have MANY) to actually come to terms with the fact that he was gone and nothing was going to change that. We had to learn that we didn’t know the exact reason why it happened and that we never will find out for sure. We had to realize that our strong bond had broke by the untimely death of one of us. It was hard. But slowly and surely we’re dealing. Some better then others, but its progress.
I hope Ms. Loik, and all the other parents, siblings and friends of suicide victims are able to find some kind of solace knowing that their loved one is finally at peace.
Alan down in Florida
May his soul be at peace in a better place.
Ron Jackson
Since the NSA and Facebook track everything it should be a fairly simple process to find out who the “bullies” are. If we are going to live in a police state then lets use it to our advantage.
Whup-Ass Master
What a beautiful child, a handsome young man.
Cyber-bullying needs to be a hate crime. With jail time. The bullies need to be exposed and shamed.
Bruce
This is really very sad and my sympathies are with Kim, his family and friends.
My hope is that one day two mothers will be able to say; “You know, I think my son has a crush on your little boy. Isn’t that adorable?”
tardis
Poor kid. What a tragic story. I hate hearing stories like these. It’s just not fair. And the bullies walk away yet again. They’ll laugh and be young and not worry about what they did. Then they’ll reach an age where they’ll start to think about what they did. They’ll be tortured by their thoughts and actions. May God help them when that day comes.
MikeE
One thing that MIGHT be important to point out: nothing indicates that this kid was gay. Nothing has been released yet about the nature of his harassment.
Like a number of other teens who recently killed themselves after being bullied, this isn’t necessarily related to his sexuality.
And @ Queerty: he did not “commit suicide at the hands of” anyone. by it’s very nature, suicide is committed by the victim. please learn to write.
“15 yr old Canadian boy commits suicide after online bullying” or something like that.
You know, a headline has to be short and concise.. but it ALSO has to be PRECISE. You don’t throw words on the wall and use whichever ones stick. Please learn to write.
halfahomo
Another sad incident of a vulnerable teen being pushed to far and believing their life has no merit. Unfortunately, its usually their peers who are the tormentors and none the wiser. Condolences to his mother and family, hope they can find some modicum of justice in their tribulation.
tardis
@MikeE: Jesus, what’s your problem? Nowhere in the article did it state or suggest that his sexuality had anything to do with it. This isn’t a news site, but a site talking about issues.
Society kills. You’re testament to that.
MikeE
@tardis: Ok first off dude, chill.
I didn’t criticize anyone, I only mentioned that there was at this time nothing that indicates it had anything to do with his sexuality. And it’s not in the article, but in the comments that a few people seem to be making a connection between bullying and being LGBT.
As for my criticism of the poor quality of Queerty’s writing, well, sorry, but Queerty’s got a pathetic track record on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and over-all writing style. They also tend to write awful headlines. This just happens to be one of the worst.
And if your last line is somehow implying that *I* am responsible for bullying, you’re WAY off base. I’ve never in my life bullied anyone. Unlike your last sentence, where you’re the one coming across as a bully here.
And society doesn’t kill. people kill.
tardis
No, I’m not implying you’re a bully/bulling nor do I think you are. I’m just saying chill out.
Still, the article made no connection with sexuality and this kid’s suicide.
And yes, society definitely kills. By the time we get older, of course, hopefully we can deal with it, but not everyone can, and from my perspective, it seems like you’re belittling the issue. Just my thoughts. Good day.
Stevenw
@Mr. E. Jones: I agree – it mystifies me why anyone would go on any internet forum etc if they were being bullied on it. You have to go to school, you can’t escape there. But you don’t have to go online.
A very tragic ending for this lad.
2eo
Social media exists for one reason. Data Mining.
Nothing else, I only use them to get information on people and clients, I don’t have an account, never had one, not even accidentally signed up and closed it.
They are poison, especially to Teenagers.
Snapper59
In addition to a link to his Facebook dedication page, it would be interesting to see a copy of his Facebook page where he received the taunts that his mother said were awful. I wouldn’t be surprised as with many of these suicides if the classmates now posing for cameras holding candles and in tears weren’t part of the mob that killed him.
the other Greg
As bad as I had it as a teenager, at least I didn’t have Facebook to deal with! I came close to suicide as it was, but I’d lived in the internet era I wouldn’t have made it.
Louis C.K. is right, if you have you kids you simply shouldn’t allow them to have smartphones or anti-social media.
I’m always mystified whenever I encounter a GAY person who’s on FB. I think, aren’t you concerned that your bullies will find you? But my boyfriend says, oh it’s not that way for everyone. And they say, well it makes it so easy to keep in touch with your family! I think… damn… why the fuck would any GAY person want to particularly keep in touch with their family???? Don’t we still have Xmas cards for that? If my impecunious nieces and nephews want to beg me for money, they can do it the old-fashioned way via the postal service. Fortunately they are too lazy to do that so it never happens.
This is my advice for any gay 15 year old boy reading this – get the fuck off FB. Get in touch with nature, go hiking.
Creamsicle
The saddest thing about these suicides is the fact that the teens who take their lives really internalize all the shit that gets thrown at them. They never get to see the world at large and realize just how small and wrong their tormentors are. I know that a consensus has been reached that Russia’s laws against “Gay propaganda” are bad, and they are, but we should simultaneously be stepping up efforts to expose everyone, not just kids to the contributions of LGBT individuals in history, science, music, and the like. I honestly believe it would make it easier for children like Todd to hang on a little longer to see how great the world can be once you leave other people’s baggage behind. It would likewise make otherwise hate filled teens realize that some of the people they most admire in history were non-heterosexuals, and that they shouldn’t buy the right wing lie that “no society has ever tolerated homosexuality.”
Todd will never get to learn just how great life can be without hatred, but maybe we can try to make the world a better place for kids like him by sharing our experiences and those of the great people who have come before us.
stranded
She “told him to go to bed and not worry about it.”
And that’s where she failed her son. Now she’s acting up? The second she saw those taunts. She should have sat down with him and edited his page. to block people, report them to facebook, and delete their messages. Then explain to her son whatever people think of you, doesn’t define who you really are.
People always want to target bullies, but i always ask, where were the parents?
jmmartin
All of the bullies were jealous because he was cuter than they were.