Brandon Elizares
Sixteen year old Brandon was relentlessly bullied for two years for being gay since "coming out" at the age of fourteen. Constant torment, threats to his life and physical violence ultimately lead to his decision to take his own life.
Described by his family and friends as an incredibly talented young man whose artwork is proudly displayed in his family home, Brandon refused to hide in the proverbial closet and often said that he owed it to himself to be exactly who and what he was, and not pretend to be something he wasn't.
His Mother, Zachalyn supported her son unconditionally and firmly believes that Brandon's determination to be who he was, with no apologies, cost him his life.
In a television interview, Mrs. Elizares explained how Brandon had been threatened with a knife and with being set on fire. She also explained how the El Paso Independent school district did everything in their power to help solve the problem. Unfortunately for Brandon, the problem was not solved.
When bullies organised a fight with him, Brandon finally reached the limit of his endurance. The constant physical threats and death threats lead the teen to take an overdose of pills in his bedroom. His body was discovered by his younger brother, by which time it was too late to save him.
Before ending his life, Brandon put his school awards on display in his room and left a heartbreaking note for his family that said: 'My name is Brandon Joseph Elizares and I couldn't make it. I love you guys with all of my heart.'
Described by his family and friends as an incredibly talented young man whose artwork is proudly displayed in his family home, Brandon refused to hide in the proverbial closet and often said that he owed it to himself to be exactly who and what he was, and not pretend to be something he wasn't.
His Mother, Zachalyn supported her son unconditionally and firmly believes that Brandon's determination to be who he was, with no apologies, cost him his life.
In a television interview, Mrs. Elizares explained how Brandon had been threatened with a knife and with being set on fire. She also explained how the El Paso Independent school district did everything in their power to help solve the problem. Unfortunately for Brandon, the problem was not solved.
When bullies organised a fight with him, Brandon finally reached the limit of his endurance. The constant physical threats and death threats lead the teen to take an overdose of pills in his bedroom. His body was discovered by his younger brother, by which time it was too late to save him.
Before ending his life, Brandon put his school awards on display in his room and left a heartbreaking note for his family that said: 'My name is Brandon Joseph Elizares and I couldn't make it. I love you guys with all of my heart.'
"When he first came out, he told me that he had lost a lot of his friends because he wanted to live openly as a gay person and he did not understand. He'd be like 'I'm still me. I'm still Brandon, nothing's changed other than the fact that I like boys," ~ Zachalyn Elizares, Brandon's Mother
In his note Brandon said that he was sorry but that he felt terrible because he had to 'hide under his skin', preventing him from being who he truly was. Mrs Elizares said that Brandon appeared to have developed a thick skin towards those who bullied him, smiling and walking away without saying anything. She wishes that her son had found the strength to find his voice and she truly believed that since he came out, his confidence did indeed start to grow. Sadly, those who bullied him didn't allow his confidence to blossom.
"At the end of the day, he did make a choice and I do understand that. I do. But he also had a right to live his life the way that he wanted to and to be respected for who he was. Brandon was the type of person that if you're mean to him or you say something to him, he just smiled, kept on walking, and he wasn't going to say anything back. It's really sad because I always wish that he'd found his voice and I thought that he was getting better at than since he came out. But he internalized a lot of it," ~ Zachalyn Elizares, Brandon's Mother.