Kyle Wells
Sixteen year old Kyle endured bullying most of his life for a variety of reasons. He was born with fetal alcohol syndrome (his birth Mother was was an alcoholic), which meant Kyle had learning difficulties and arrested social skills. He also had Russell-Silver Syndrome, a birth disorder that limits growth. Consequently, he was bullied not only for having learning difficulties, but also for being small. When Kyle "Came Out" as gay, he was bullied for that too.
Friends recall how he was often physically abused and pushed into lockers and garbage cans by bullies. He was mocked, teased, tormented and made to feel like an outcast. Yet despite enduring relentless bullying himself, Kyle often defended others who were being bullied. He constantly put the well being of others in front of his own.
According to Kyle's adoptive Grandmother, the bullying seemed to get worse with every passing year and she recalls many occasions when she visited Kyle's school to speak with officials about the bullying. In what seems to be an ongoing trend in cases of bullying at schools, officials at Park County School District claim to have no record of Kyle being bullied.
Friends recall how he was often physically abused and pushed into lockers and garbage cans by bullies. He was mocked, teased, tormented and made to feel like an outcast. Yet despite enduring relentless bullying himself, Kyle often defended others who were being bullied. He constantly put the well being of others in front of his own.
According to Kyle's adoptive Grandmother, the bullying seemed to get worse with every passing year and she recalls many occasions when she visited Kyle's school to speak with officials about the bullying. In what seems to be an ongoing trend in cases of bullying at schools, officials at Park County School District claim to have no record of Kyle being bullied.
“He was soft-hearted. He was always trying to make everybody else happy. He was just awkward in trying to express himself. Words hurt worse than anything else ever could. He did have a few friends who were close to him, who tried to help him” - Shirlee Wheeler, family friend
Understandably, the years of bullying had a detrimental effect of Kyle's psychological well being. He was diagnosed with depression and starting self harming. In June 2011, he was admitted to the Wyoming Behavioral Institute after a failed suicide attempt. He was discharged a few months later in September but continued to self harm. Soon after, he went to the Cottonwood Treatment Center in Utah, where he stayed until the following March before returning to school to finish his Freshman year.
His time at Cottonwood obviously helped build his confidence, or perhaps it was simply a case of being in a bully-free environment. Either way, Kyle's grades were better than ever before. He began to excel in history, art and even Maths. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the bullying started again.
On the day Kyle took his life, school friends say that he was bullied at school. He came home and took the key to his Grandmothers gun cabinet from her purse. He waited for her to leave, then went into his room and shot himself with her handgun.
Just a few weeks prior Kyle had told his Grandmother and some school friends how tired he was of being bullied. At his Memorial service, friends and relatives recalled instances of his selflessness, of his compassion for others and his love of live, despite the hardships he was forced to endure.
His time at Cottonwood obviously helped build his confidence, or perhaps it was simply a case of being in a bully-free environment. Either way, Kyle's grades were better than ever before. He began to excel in history, art and even Maths. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the bullying started again.
On the day Kyle took his life, school friends say that he was bullied at school. He came home and took the key to his Grandmothers gun cabinet from her purse. He waited for her to leave, then went into his room and shot himself with her handgun.
Just a few weeks prior Kyle had told his Grandmother and some school friends how tired he was of being bullied. At his Memorial service, friends and relatives recalled instances of his selflessness, of his compassion for others and his love of live, despite the hardships he was forced to endure.
“He would say he was getting sick of being bullied. I didn’t notice him putting up anything in the way of a suicide threat, but he did say he was getting really tired of it. I hated the fact that he was picked on, just for being who he was. He was one of those guys who was accepting of everybody. He was the type of person who, even though he was bullied himself, would step in if he saw someone else being bullied. He became open about his sexuality a couple of years ago, and some kids started to become mean toward him because of that. I watched Kyle endure taunting and sometimes physical assaults. When he started hanging out with me, the physical things would stop. Because the bullies knew that if they got physical with him, I would get physical with them." - Stephen Franklin, school friend