Aussie actress shares heartbreaking update on the death of her 13-year-old son - and asks the public for $300,000 to fund controversial plan that could see the teen brought back to life
Australian actress Clare McCann has shared a heartbreaking update following the shock death of her 13-year-old son Atreyu.
Clare, who is best known for her starring role in the Channel V series Blog Party, revealed that Atreyu tragically took his own life after being the victim of 'horrendous bullying' and announced she was starting a GoFundMe campaign to 'preserve his life'.
She is asking for $300,000 to have Atreyu cryogenically frozen in the hopes of one day bringing Atreyu back to life.
'As my worst nightmare has come to life my child's has been stolen,' she wrote alongside a photo of her and her son at a movie premiere.
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'It breaks my heart beyond what words can compare to share that in a moment of unbearable pain Atreyu took his own life.
'This was not his fault. He was let down by the schooling system as he suffered horrendous amounts of bullying.'
She explained on the GoFundMe page that there is a very small window to have her son frozen.
'We only have one chance left to cryogenically preserve his body within the next 7 days,' she wrote.
'If we miss this window, we lose the chance for any future revival that science may offer. This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son's story end in silence.'
Cryogenically freezing, also known as cryopreservation, is the process of using extreme cold to preserve biological material, like human remains, for extended periods, with the hope of future revival.
Southern Cryonics, the first cryonics facility in the Southern Hemisphere, announced it had cryogenically frozen its first person dubbed 'Patient One' in May last year.
Clare added that any funds exceeding the $300,000 goal would go towards a national anti-bullying campaign, as well as legal action against the 'institutions that failed him'.
'I am a public figure with a national platform, and I will use every resource I have to make sure this never happens again, not just to my son, but to any other child failed by this system,' Clare wrote.
Clare claimed on her fundraising page that she had 'begged' the Department of Education and Children's Services to intervene in Ateryu's case.
'I have medical records, psychologist reports, a formal PTSD diagnosis from his doctor, and emails proving I raised the alarm repeatedly. But nothing was done. No one stepped in. And now, my beautiful boy is gone,' she wrote.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the NSW Department of Education for comment.
Clare broke the heartbreaking news on Saturday, saying that Atreyu was 'the brightest light' in her world.
'It's with shattered hearts that we share the passing of my beautiful son, Atreyu McCann. He was the brightest light in my world — kind, creative, and endlessly loved,' Clare wrote.
'Right now, we are grieving a loss that words can't hold. Please give us time and space as we process this unimaginable pain.
Clare continued: 'Thank you to everyone who has supported and loved Atreyu. We'll share more when we're ready. For now, please hold him in your hearts.'
The post, which did not indicate a cause of death was met with a heartfelt outpouring of condolences from Claire's 62,000 followers.
'Sending all my love to you right now, he was a wonderful boy, I'm so sorry for you loss. Take care of yourself,' one follower offered.
Another shared a similar sentiment with: 'Omg Clare, I can't even begin to imagine the grief you're going through!
'My deepest condolences and love and may he rest in eternal peace and love.'
'I'm so sorry to hear of this. I can not at all imagine your pain,' a third shared.
Aside from her role on Channel V's Astra award-winning Blog Party and Clublife, Clare has also enjoyed a career behind the camera.
She was a tutor at the National Institute Of Dramatic Art (NIDA) before staring her own independent film production company Cherry Productions.
Clare is a founder, program manager and ambassador for the Sydney Women's International Film festival.
She is currently working as a journalist for Sydney outlet Eastern Suburbs Life.
Atreyu followed in Clare's acting footsteps, appearing in the 2019 film Benefitted, which was directed by, and also starring, his mother.
The burgeoning actor also picked up a role in an episode of true crime series Deadly Women.
He starred in the short film Black Truck in which he played Josiah, a young boy living with a condition that causes a total lack of colour vision.
The young actor was no stranger to the stage, either, having appeared in numerous productions for the Australian Theatre For Young People.
Atreyu was also frequently spotted with Clare on the red carpet at various film premieres.
If you or anyone you know needs immediate support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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