Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of a ten-year-old boy who tragically took his own life due to relentless bullying at school.
Sammy Teusch died by suicide on May 5 after enduring years of torment over his teeth and glasses. His devastated parents had repeatedly complained to the school, but their concerns were ignored.
On Tuesday, they were joined by hundreds of outraged parents and friends at the funeral in Greenfield, Indiana. Heart-wrenching footage showed Sammy’s parents weeping and holding his casket as mourners paid their respects.
The Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry provided a motorcycle escort for Sammy, expressing that they were “honored” to participate.
A service was held in a nearby auditorium before Sammy was laid to rest, where loved ones shared cherished memories and a pastor offered a final prayer.
Neighbor Andrew McIntosh delivered the eulogy, recalling how Sammy quickly befriended his son Judah after moving into the neighborhood.
“Right there in my hallway was a handsome little boy who could have been straight out of an Andy Griffith episode or a Norman Rockwell painting,” McIntosh said, according to the Greenfield Reporter.
“I knew immediately that my son had made a good friend,” he continued, adding that Sammy seemed popular among local kids and was often seen with “the biggest grin on his face.”
“He just looked up at me sweating, those glasses perched on his cheeks above a smile that was way too big for his little face,” McIntosh reminisced. “But when he really smiled, it was as if he could banish the darkness from every corner of the room.”
A candlelight vigil is planned for Friday in Greenfield as the community grapples with Sammy’s tragic death.