9.27.2008

RIP: a Teenaged Suicide

On September 23, this Tuesday, Connor Wilkinson was found dead. He had committed suicide.

Connor was only 13 years old.

Tired of being pushed around and taunted, he tried to release himself from his living hell. Wilkinson had an abnormally high voice, which was target for mocking from his peers.

I never met Connor. I don't know his family or friends. I hardly know anything about him. It's probably not my business. But I think I know his story. Maybe it started as a joke, maybe it was serious. But somehow Connor became a game of "Pin the insults on the Dork." Maybe Connor laughed it off at first. But it's not human to pull up your insecurities and shove them in your face. Time after time, Wilkinson was bombarded with taunts and it wore away what little confidence he may of had till maybe he truly believe something was wrong with him. That he was a weirdo, a freak. Maybe they convinced him of more than that. Maybe he really thought he didn't deserve to live. Without a kind word to uplift his spirits, he powered through as long as he could. One day, he got pushed over the edge and sought to release himself from this personal hell.

Depressing.

Connor didn't deserve this, no one does. No one understands what it's like to be "that kid" unless you are at some point.

But through it all, some good has come. The school he went to was brought together through grief, they put aside their stupid differences and were equals to sadness and mourning.

I hope you remember Connor Wilkinson and what one kind word might of done to help him.

15 comments:

Panah Neshati said...

Hey, wanted to thank you for writing about my best friend. It's a year since his suicide. I'm happy to know that someone
I don't know and who Connor didn't know cares. Thank you very much.

Ellen Dando said...

This really means a lot that you wrote this. Like Panah said, today is the anniversary and I know it's been a hard day for everyone.

Iz. said...

:) I really appreciate you writing about this. It's amazing that though not many people knew Connor personally, we all came together to remember him.

Gillian Cannon said...

This is great. I sort of knew him, but not really. It is really quite amazing, how a boy that only had a few friends, has brought a whole highschool together.

Anonymous said...

I Never Knew Connor, I had just arrived at the school that year, but when I had heard about it, it was really sad to hear. He will be missed deeply. Hope He's where he's always wanted to go.

RIP Connor

As to what gillian said. I agree fully.

I hope he knows how much he's brought everyone together.

Anonymous said...

It's not cool to say that nobody encouraged him. I knew him and I was always kind to him and encouraging. Many good people were kind to him. It was just the set of jerks who used to taunt him and peg footballs at him in gym, etc. R.I.P Connor.

Anonymous said...

Panah, you were not Connor's best friend, and lying about it makes you seem petty and desperate. You're better than that. Frankly, I have my doubts that you even knew him. Too many people are using my brother's death as a bandwagon on which to jump, which I heavily resent. Reminiscing about his death is supposed to help end bullying in schools, not give pretentious adolescents a phony cause to "bond" over.

Anonymous said...

he changed my life
ima better person now

Anonymous said...

i heard they're re-opening the case? where did connor live? i'm new to the neighborhood, and my neighbor told me that connor lived two doors down...

Patrick Rose said...

its been 2 years. Im sorry i never really knew Connor. even though i didn't he has changed my life more than i can say. i am a much better person now. Rest in peace Connor

Anonymous said...

panah just stop, i never saw you sitting with connor or hanging out with him or anything, i'm not gonna lie, i teased him once or twice, granted mine weren't all that bad, i didn't really make fun of him more like "do you just do homework all day?" but every insult counted, but connor and i were kinda friends, we sat together in art and at lunch and i remember we'd use to play this game where we asked "if you were in a dark pit, what do you do to get out?" and things like that, i miss him, i realized how much i missed him yesterday, and even if i didn't make fun of him as much, i still have to live with the fact that i did insult him, with everybody else, and it sucks

Gillian Cannon said...

I cant believe its been three years. I don't know if anyone else does, but I remember. Rest In Peace, Connor. We will never forget you.

Anonymous said...

It's been three years since Connor's death and I still miss him. I wasn't the greatest person when he was alive, but his death gave me the initiative to change. Now I am a much better person. I now know to think before I act, and to be a friend to everyone, no matter who they are or what they look like. I miss him deeply. Connor will live forever in the hearts of the people who knew him.

Anonymous said...

He was a former classmate of mine, and I think about him every now and again. I don't know what demons tortured him but I hope his soul is at peace. Here's to keeping your memory. All the love

Anonymous said...

I knew Connor since elementary school, we weren't really friends, but had many classes together over the years, including when he died. two days before Connor's death, I had planned out my own suicide. It was supposed to happen that weekend. Connor's death saved my life. I'm 27 now and still think about Connor so often. It's painful to realize the torment Connor had to endure to make that decision, but I'm grateful every day that it snapped me out of mine.