Bullied 13yo's heartbreaking letter before ending his life

Teenager Danny Fitzpatrick was mercilessly tormented at school, before tragically taking his own life. His family want to tell his story to raise awareness of bullying. Photo / GoFundMe

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After enduring constant torment from school bullies that were once his friends, 13-year-old Danny Fitzpatrick decided his life was no longer worth living.

Before taking his own life, Danny wrote a letter, shared to Facebook, that described his ordeal at his school in New York.

"At first it was good," he wrote of his experience in the classroom. But he goes on to explain how his friends turned against him.

"He bullied me," Danny wrote about one of his former friends. "They did it constantly until I went into a fight."

In the note, Danny said his teachers did nothing to stop the abuse, even after he fractured his finger in a scuffle with his bullies.

"They didn't do ANYTHING!" the boy pleaded in his letter.

"I wanted to get out - I failed but I didn't care I was out that's all that matters."

According to the teen, although one teacher could see what was happening, she couldn't do enough to help him.

"She was the nicest teacher," Danny wrote. "She understood and did something but it didn't last."

A friend of the Fitzpatrick family backed up Danny's claims: "Look at Danny's smile," Scott McGrath wrote on Facebook. "Take a close look at his smile and think of how he was hurting, crying out for help and hiding his pain from all the bullying and fights."

Danny's older sister, Eileen, set up a GoFundMe page to assist the family with the funeral costs and help "shine a bright light on bullying".

"My brother was thirteen years old...he wasn't supposed to die," she wrote on the page.

More than $90,000 has been raised in two days, and the family say they plan on giving a donation to an anti-bullying and suicide awareness charity.

"We have every intention to help other families never go through what we are going through," the Fitzpatrick's wrote on the fundraising page. "We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping us and hearing his story."

Where to get help:

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
• Samaritans 0800 726 666
• If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.