Australian actress and filmmaker Clare McCann is facing the unimaginable — the loss of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu, who tragically took his own life after enduring months of relentless bullying. In an emotional public statement, Clare shared her heartbreak and called for urgent change to protect children from the kind of suffering that stole her son’s future.
Clare, known for her work on Deadly Women and the film Benefited, revealed the devastating news through an emotional Instagram post. “My worst nightmare has come to life — my child’s life has been stolen,” she wrote. “In a moment of unbearable pain, Atreyu took his own life. He was the brightest light in my world — kind, creative, and endlessly loved. We are broken beyond words.”
According to Clare, Atreyu had been subjected to months of severe bullying after starting Year 7 at South Sydney High School earlier this year. Within just two days, he came home in tears, begging her to stop the bullies. She said the torment escalated quickly — verbal abuse, physical attacks, and even a horrifying incident at a school camp where classmates allegedly tried to drown him.
“When he told me, I was mortified that the school hadn’t called me,” she said. “He was begging me to help. I met with teachers, I wrote emails, I reported everything to the Department of Education — but nothing changed.”
Clare said she raised concerns more than ten times between February and April, but each plea went unanswered. She has since provided emails, psychologist reports, and medical records, including a formal PTSD diagnosis, as evidence of her repeated efforts to protect her son.
The bullying became unbearable. Classmates allegedly drew on his body, harassed him with calls, and humiliated him daily. Clare eventually pulled him out of school in April when he told her, “If I have to go back, I’ll kill myself.” Away from his tormentors, she hoped therapy and time would help him heal. But despite her efforts, the damage had already taken root.
“They destroyed him,” she said quietly. “And in one moment of unimaginable pain, he just didn’t know what else to do.”
Clare’s grief has now turned into determination. She launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $300,000 AUD (around $195,000 USD) to cryogenically preserve Atreyu’s body — a desperate attempt, she says, to honor his dream of “life beyond life.” The funds will also help cover medical and legal expenses and support anti-bullying advocacy work in Atreyu’s name. Any additional money raised will go toward helping other families facing similar heartbreak.
“This was not his fault,” Clare wrote on the fundraiser page. “He was failed by a system that allowed this abuse to continue unchecked. I’m asking for help not just to preserve my son’s life, but to fight against this inhumane epidemic of child suicides caused by bullying.”
Atreyu, who had already started acting in television and film, was a promising young talent. He appeared in Deadly Women and independent films such as Black Truck and Benefited. His mother described him as compassionate, imaginative, and wise beyond his years. “He had the most beautiful heart,” she said. “He loved creating, performing, and making people smile. He was my reason for everything.”
Government officials have since offered condolences. NSW Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car called the tragedy “heartbreaking” and extended sympathy to the family, saying, “No parent should ever have to endure such loss.” NSW Deputy Secretary of Public Schools Deborah Summerhayes added that the Department of Education is providing counseling and wellbeing support to the affected school community.
For Clare, however, condolences are not enough. She is using her platform to demand action — from school reform to stricter accountability for bullying. “This is not just about my son,” she said. “It’s about every child who feels unseen and unheard. It’s about making sure no other parent ever has to bury their child because of cruelty that could have been stopped.”
Amid her grief, Clare continues to speak of Atreyu’s belief in hope, love, and connection beyond death. “He used to talk about heaven, about how he wanted us to come back and do things together someday,” she said. “He was still dreaming, even through the pain. I can’t fail him now.”
Clare’s voice, raw with heartbreak yet filled with purpose, carries a message that reaches far beyond her own tragedy: bullying kills — and silence allows it to thrive. Through Atreyu’s story, she hopes to spark real change, to remind the world that compassion, vigilance, and accountability can save lives before it’s too late.
“This isn’t just about grief,” she said. “It’s about justice, love, and refusing to let my son’s story end in silence.”
