Suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer
| Jamey Rodemeyer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | March 21, 1997 Buffalo, New York |
| Died | September 18, 2011 (aged 14) Amherst, New York |
| Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Student |
| Known for | Activism against homophobic bullying Blogger on Tumblr and YouTube |
| Parent(s) | Tim and Tracy Rodemeyer |
| Relatives | Alyssa Rodemeyer (sister) |
| Website |
hausofjamey xgothemo99xx |
Jamey Rodemeyer (March 21, 1997 – September 18, 2011) was an American bisexual teenager, known for his activism against homophobia and his videos on YouTube to help victims of homophobic bullying. His suicide was attributed to constant bullying, and led to the proposal of new cyberbullying legislation.
Jamey Rodemeyer lived with his parents, Tim and Tracy Rodemeyer, and his older sister Alyssa in their home near Buffalo, New York. He had attended Heim Middle School in the past and was a freshman at Williamsville North High School at the time of his death.
He was open about his sexuality, and faced severe bullying as a result of it. Rodemeyer's inspiration to help others came from Lady Gaga, whom he admired most. He often referred to her in his videos, and quoted her lyrics to provide guidance to others.
Rodemeyer encountered bullying throughout middle school because of his bisexuality. Anonymously posted comments on his Formspring account included hate messages such as, "I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it :) It would make everyone WAY more happier!". Despite this, he used his experiences to make videos on YouTube under the username xgothemo99xx to help others who were experiencing similar situations. He also made a video for the "It Gets Better" project, a website dedicated to preventing teen suicide.
Rodemeyer was found dead by his sister on the morning of September 18, 2011, in an apparent suicide by hanging. Before his death, he posted a final update on Twitter directed to Lady Gaga. The tweet read, "@ladygaga bye mother monster, thank you for all you have done, paws up forever".
The Amherst, New York police department launched a criminal investigation after Jamey Rodemeyer's death, assisted by Erie County district attorney Frank Sedita. The investigation lasted nine weeks, and included analysis of Jamey's home computer and mobile phone records. Although possible evidence of criminal harassment was found, these incidents either had insufficient evidence to prosecute or were expired beyond the statute of limitations. The investigation concluded with no charges filed.
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