Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral of a ten-year-old boy who took his own life in a tragic case of bullying after being relentlessly teased at school.
Sammy Teusch killed himself on May 5 after suffering years of brutal bullying over his teeth and the glasses he wore. His grief-stricken parents say they complained to his school repeatedly but were ignored.
On Tuesday, they were supported by hundreds of outraged parents and friends at their son’s funeral in Greenfield, Indiana.
The funeral procession included a motorcade of over a hundred motorcyclists who all turned out in a show of support for the tragic child.
Sammy Teusch, 10, tragically killed himself on May 5 after suffering years of abuse
Solemn footage captured the moment hundreds of motorcycles drove side by side as they paid respect at the funeral of Sammy Teusch, 10, in Greenfield, Indiana on Tuesday
In gut-wrenching images from Sammy’s funeral, his parents were seen standing by his casket weeping while mourners shuffled past
In gut-wrenching footage from Sammy’s funeral, his parents were seen holding his casket and weeping while mourners shuffled past.
Sammy’s motorcycle escort was hosted by Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry, who said they were ‘honored’ to take part.
Before he was laid to rest, a service was held in a nearby auditorium, where his loved ones shared fond memories of the boy and his family, and a pastor read a final prayer.
Neighbor Andrew McIntosh delivered the youngster’s eulogy, and recalled how Sammy quickly befriended his son Judah after moving into the neighborhood.
‘Right there in my hallway was a handsome little boy that I swear could have been pulled right out of an Andy Griffith episode or a Norman Rockwell painting,’ he said, according to the Greenfield Reporter.
‘I knew immediately that my son had made a good friend,’ he said, adding that the 10-year-old seemed popular among the local kids and was often seen with ‘the biggest grin on his face.’
‘He just looked up at me sweating, those glasses that rose up on his cheeks over a smile that was way too big for his little face,’ McIntosh said.
‘But when he did smile, and I mean really smile, he just seemed to suck the darkness out of every corner in the room.’
A candlelight vigil is also planned for Friday in Greenfield, as the small town reels from Sammy’s tragic suicide.
Mourners gathered for Sammy’s funeral on Tuesday morning, with many having not known the boy but were moved by his tragic story
In a eulogy from Sammy’s funeral service, his neighbor said the 10-year-old seemed popular among the local kids and was often seen with ‘the biggest grin on his face’
Sammy’s parents Nichole and Sam said their son had been bullied for his glasses, then his teeth
According to the family, they contacted their son’s school 20 times about the bullying
Sammy’s motorcycle escort was hosted by Iron Sharpens Iron Motorcycle Ministry, who said they were ‘honored’ to take part
Tributes poured in for the 10-year-old after his tragic suicide, as his stricken mother said following his passing: ‘He was my little boy. He was my baby’
His parents Sam and Nichole said he was subjected to both physical and emotional bullying at his school, and was being tormented daily up until the night he passed away.
They said the bullying started last year when he was in elementary school, and followed him to Greenfield Intermediate School.
The harassment escalated to a recent incident on a school bus where he was beaten up, and Sammy’s parents claimed they told teachers and school staff about the bullying 20 times but no action was taken.
His father Sam told WTHR: ‘They were making fun of him for his glasses in the beginning, then on to make fun of his teeth. It went on for a long time.’
‘I held him in my arms. I did the thing no father should ever have to do, and anytime I close my eyes, it’s all I can see.’
The abuse then got physical, Sam added: ‘He was beat up on the school bus, and the kids broke his glasses and everything.
‘I called the school, and I’m like, ‘What are you doing about this? It keeps getting worse, and worse, and worse. And it’s not getting any better. In fact, it’s getting worse.’
Speaking to 21alive, his grandmother Cynthia said: ‘They can’t just say they have zero tolerance because that doesn’t mean there is zero tolerance about bullies.
‘Their zero tolerance means that they don’t have responsibility for it. People trust their kids to the school, but now that trust is breaking down.’
His grandmother Cynthia say that the trust people put in the schools in breaking down
His parents Sam and Nichole say he was both physically and emotionally bullied at school, with Sammy being recently beaten up on a school bus
Sammy’s heartbroken family said he was being bullied daily up until the night he passed away
Dr. Harold Olin was approached by the outlet for an interview and said he was unavailable, but claimed no bullying report had ever been submitted by the family.
Olin added that administrators at the school had conversations with the family throughout the year but wouldn’t share the content of these conversations.
Sam added: ‘[The school] knew this was going on’, with the bullying going from the school and the bus to social media platforms like Snapchat.
His mom Nichole said: ‘He was my little boy. He was my baby. He was the youngest one.’
The bullying had started last year when he was in elementary school, and had followed him to Greenfield Intermediate School
Dr. Harold Olin, left, was approached by the outlet for an interview and said he was unavailable. Bronson Curtis, right,
Greenfield-Central Community School said in a statement: ‘The death of Samuel Teusch is tragic, and it has left our school corporation and larger community in tremendous grief. Our hearts pour out to the family at this time.
‘Sammy was a student in Greenfield-Central for the last year and a half. He finished his 3rd grade year at Weston Elementary School in May of 2023, and he was a 4th grade student at Greenfield Intermediate School during the current 2023-24 school year.
‘We were made aware of his death on Sunday afternoon, and we dispatched our crisis response team to both Greenfield Intermediate School and Greenfield Central Junior High School (where he has two siblings) to start the week.
‘Our staff in Greenfield-Central has worked with the Teusch family quite a bit over the last 18 months. Contact between school personnel and the parents was frequent.
‘The parents did report the manner of death as a suicide, and we are investigating their claims related to bullying.
‘While the investigation continues, we are primarily focusing our resources on meeting the immediate needs of the students we serve in Greenfield-Central Schools.’