According to the actress, her son was emotionally shattered and in deep pain, and just when it seemed like he was beginning to heal, he took his own life.
Clare McCann, an Australian actress and filmmaker, is mourning the death of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu McCann, who died by suicide after months of alleged bullying. In a heartbreaking social media post, she shared the news and issued a desperate plea, not just to honor his memory, but to preserve what hope remains.
In a deeply emotional post shared on Instagram, Clare revealed the devastating death of her only child. “As my worst nightmare has come to life my child’s has been stolen. It breaks my heart beyond what words can compare to share that in a moment of unbearable pain Atreyu took his own life,” the actress shared.
She went on to describe her son, “He was the brightest light in my world — kind, creative, and endlessly loved. Right now we are grieving a loss that words can’t hold.”
The actress asked for privacy as her family grapples with the heartbreak. While grieving, Clare has also launched a desperate GoFundMe campaign with an urgent and highly unconventional request, $195,290 USD ($300,000 AUD) to cryogenically preserve Atreyu’s body within seven days of his death.
The campaign has raised only a small portion of its goal at the time of publication. The funds raised will be used for cryopreservation, medical and legal logistics, and establishing a trust in Atreyu’s name.
If the target is exceeded, Clare plans to channel the extra funds into anti-bullying reform, legal action, and support for other families navigating similar tragedies. “My 13-year-old son tragically took his own life after months of brutal bullying at a NSW public school,” Clare wrote on the fundraising page.
On her Instagram page, she noted, “This was not his fault. He was let down by the schooling system as he suffered horrendous amounts of bullying. Now I humbly beg of you to help me preserve his life and help me fight against this inhumane landslide of child suicides caused by unchecked bullying by schools and teachers.”
Atreyu had only just started Year 7 on February 5. By February 7, just two days later, Clare says he was already in tears, pleading with her to stop the bullies. According to Clare, her son endured relentless abuse from his classmates, including a terrifying incident where they allegedly tried to drown him during a school camp.
“When he told me, I was mortified that the school hadn’t called me,” said Clare, who immediately went to his school and demanded a meeting. The actress also claims the bullies drew on his body to humiliate him and bombarded him with harassing phone calls at all hours.
“They just destroyed him. And in a moment of immense pain, he just did something, because I think he just didn’t know what else to do,” she noted.
Clare said she pulled Atreyu out of school in early April after he told her, “If he had to go to school, he’d kill himself.” Away from his tormentors and with professional support, she believed his mental health was improving. “I just wish I knew what he was thinking,” she said.
The actress also divulged that she had repeatedly alerted the school, at least 10 times between February and April. She also notified the Department of Education and Children’s Services about Atreyu’s suffering, providing medical and psychological documentation.
“I have medical records, psychologist reports, a formal PTSD diagnosis from his doctor, and emails proving I raised the alarm repeatedly. But nothing was done. No one stepped in. And now, my beautiful boy is gone,” she lamented.
Though he didn’t leave a note, Clare shared that they often had deep conversations about the afterlife. “We’d talk about the future, about heaven, how we’d like to come back and do things together. Those were his wishes and dreams, and I can’t fail him now,” she recalled.
Clare is keen on cryogenically preserving her son’s body because she believes the process could reunite them in the afterlife.
The actress, who describes herself as a filmmaker, journalist, and mother, is determined not to let her son’s journey end here. “This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son’s story end in silence,” she added.
Clare stated that as a public figure with a national platform, she’s committed to using every tool at her disposal to ensure no other child suffers the same fate and that systemic failures like those that affected her son are never repeated.
Officials have also spoken out after Atreyu’s death. Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car called his demise a heartbreaking tragedy and extended her sympathies to the Clare family, saying no parent should ever have to face such pain.
NSW Deputy Secretary of Public Schools Deborah Summerhayes also acknowledged the devastating impact of the loss and said the Department of Education was offering counselling and wellbeing support to students and staff at the school.
Just like his mother, Atreyu had already begun making his mark in the entertainment industry. He was known for his roles in 2008’s “Deadly Women” and in “Black Truck” and “Benefited,” both of which were released in 2019.
As for Clare, she gained recognition for her breakout role as Cherry on Channel [V]’s TV series “Blog Party.” She went on to appear in productions such as “Head Above Water” and “House of Bond” before shifting her focus to filmmaking. Her work behind the camera includes the award-winning “Benefited,” among other projects.
Now, a promising life has been cut short, but a determined mother is channeling her grief into a fight for justice — hoping to spark change and spare other families from similar heartbreak.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
