Jamey Rodemeyer's parents, Tim and
Tracy Rodemeyer, say their son continues to be bullied even after his
death.
Jamey is the 14-year-old junior high
school student who committed suicide after being bullied for coming
out gay. The teen, who had just started his freshman year at
Williamsville North High School outside Buffalo, New York, was found
dead outside his home on September 18. More than 500 people showed
up to pay their respects to Jamey at his funeral held on Saturday.
In a YouTube video posted in May, Jamey
said Lady Gaga had inspired him. “Lady Gaga, she makes me so
happy, and she lets me know that I was born this way. And that's my
advice to you from her. People are born this way. All you have to
do is hold your head up and you'll go far,” he said in the clip.
“Just love yourself and you're set … It gets better.”
The Rodemeyers told TODAY
host Ann Curry on Tuesday that their daughter Alyssa faced open
hostility during a homecoming dance.
“She was having a great time, and all
of a sudden a Lady Gaga song came on, and they all started chanting
for Jamey, all of his friends,” Tracy said. “Then the bullies
that put him into this situation started chanting, 'You're better off
dead!' and 'We're glad you're dead!' and things like that.”
“I can't grasp it in my mind,” Tim
said. “I don't know why anyone would do that. They have no heart,
that's basically what it comes down to.”
The Rodemeyers urged parents to talk to
their children.
“My message to the parents is,
'Badger your kids and make them talk,' or get them the help they
need,” Tim said.
“We tried to get Jamey to talk
constantly but he just kept it in, he just put up a brave face. Just
don't let it go,” Tracy added. (The video is embedded in the right
panel of this page.)
Singers Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga have
drawn attention to Jamey's death.
Martin
tweeted to his nearly 4 million followers, “This needs to stop
now,” while Lady
Gaga paid tribute to the teen during a Saturday performance in Las
Vegas.
“Bullying is for losers,” she told
the audience.
(Related: Possible
criminal charges in connection with Jamey Rodemeyer suicide.)