NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A 15-year-old Alabama ninth-grader killed himself last Friday after enduring endless, hateful homophobic bullying from his peers.
"We are heartbroken over the death of Nigel Shelby, a 15-year-old freshman at Huntsville High School," Rocket City Pridde, a local LGBTQ group posted on its Facebook page Saturday. "Nigel took his life because he was bullied for being gay. There are no words that can be said to make sense of this devastating news."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his mother cover funeral expenses.
According to studies, LGBTQ students are more likely to be bullied than other students. In Alabama, there is no law protecting LGBTQ students.
"These bullies have to be held accountable, and until our state legislation shows that they have to do that, they're able to run a muck and do whatever they want," said Calia Malone of Rocket City Pride.
A candlelight vigil for Shelby is slated for Monday night in Huntsville.
Rest in Peace to Nigel Shelby, a 15 year old at Huntsville High School who took his life because he was bullied for being gay. Here's a link to the family's GoFundMe: https://t.co/YKfAcBtsCT pic.twitter.com/6hABYAZmAB
— AAMU Common Ground (@aamu_cg) April 21, 2019
A fellow schoolmate of Shelby, Nadia Richardson, started a mental health awareness campaign called No More Martyrs.
"I am still processing this loss, we have so much to understand and so much work to do. Racism, sexism, homophobia, classism; all of this plays a part," wrote Richardson.
She continued, "Bullying is a by-product of a world ill-equipped to include that which is deemed different. As a result, psychologically damaging othering occurs and leaves many isolated, self-loathing and depressed. Don't shy away from the necessary conversations around this. The cost is too high."
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