Australian actress and filmmaker Clare McCann is enduring the unimaginable — the loss of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu, who tragically took his own life after months of relentless bullying. In a heartfelt public message, Clare expressed her devastation and called for immediate action to protect children from the suffering that ultimately claimed her son’s life.
Clare, recognized for her roles in Deadly Women and the film Benefited, shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram. “My worst nightmare has become reality — my child’s life was stolen,” she wrote. “In a moment of unbearable pain, Atreyu ended his life. He was the brightest light in my world — kind, creative, and endlessly loved. We are shattered beyond words.”
According to Clare, Atreyu had been the target of intense bullying shortly after beginning Year 7 at South Sydney High School earlier this year. Within just two days, he returned home in tears, pleading with her to make the bullying stop. The harassment quickly escalated — from verbal abuse to physical violence, including a terrifying incident at a school camp where classmates allegedly tried to drown him.
“When he told me, I was horrified that the school hadn’t contacted me,” she said. “He begged me to help. I met with teachers, wrote emails, and reported everything to the Department of Education — but nothing changed.”
Clare stated she raised the alarm more than ten times between February and April, but her concerns were ignored. She has since provided email records, psychological assessments, and medical documentation — including a formal PTSD diagnosis — as proof of her continuous efforts to safeguard her son.
The bullying reached a breaking point. Classmates reportedly drew on his skin, bombarded him with phone calls, and subjected him to daily humiliation. Clare eventually withdrew him from school in April when he told her, “If I have to go back, I’ll kill myself.” She hoped that distance, therapy, and time would help him recover. But the emotional wounds ran deep.
“They broke him,” Clare said quietly. “And in one moment of unbearable pain, he just couldn’t see another way out.”
Clare’s heartbreak has now transformed into a mission. She has launched a GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $300,000 AUD (approximately $195,000 USD) to cryogenically preserve Atreyu’s body — a way, she says, to honor his dream of “life beyond life.” The funds will also cover legal and medical costs, and support anti-bullying initiatives in his memory. Any additional contributions will go toward helping other families going through similar heartbreak.
“This wasn’t his fault,” Clare wrote on the campaign page. “He was failed by a system that allowed this cruelty to continue. I’m asking for help — not just to preserve my son, but to fight this inhumane epidemic of child suicides caused by bullying.”
Atreyu had already begun acting, appearing in Deadly Women and indie films like Black Truck and Benefited. Clare described him as compassionate, imaginative, and deeply wise for his age. “He had the most beautiful heart,” she said. “He loved to create, to perform, to make others smile. He was my reason for everything.”
In the wake of the tragedy, government leaders have responded with condolences. NSW Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car described the loss as “heartbreaking” and extended sympathy to the family, saying, “No parent should ever have to go through such a loss.” Deborah Summerhayes, Deputy Secretary of Public Schools, stated that the Department of Education is now providing counseling and wellbeing support for the school community.
However, for Clare, condolences aren’t enough. She’s using her voice and platform to demand systemic change — from school reforms to stricter accountability for those who allow bullying to go unaddressed. “This isn’t just about my son,” she said. “It’s about every child who feels invisible and unheard. It’s about ensuring no other parent has to bury their child because of cruelty that could have been stopped.”
Despite the grief, Clare continues to share Atreyu’s belief in hope, love, and a connection beyond this life. “He used to talk about heaven — how he wanted us to return and do things together again one day,” she said. “He was still dreaming, even through the pain. I can’t let him down now.”
Clare’s voice — raw with grief, yet driven by purpose — delivers a powerful message: bullying kills, and silence enables it. Through Atreyu’s story, she hopes to inspire real change and remind the world that compassion, awareness, and responsibility can save lives before it’s too late.
“This is about more than grief,” she said. “It’s about justice, about love, and refusing to let my son’s story end in silence.”