Sad news out of my hometown in Fort Lauderdale, two students that survived the massacre at Parkland, took their own lives in separate incidences.
Saturday night, an unnamed Parkland student took his own life after suffering PTSD from the trauma experienced at the horrific massacre that took place on Valentines Day of 2018.
Nikolas Cruz, an expelled former 19-year-old student of Marjory Stoneham, slaughtered 17 students and teachers and wounded seventeen in the largest school shooting since Columbine. Cruz was a supporter of Donald Trump and wore a MAGA hat.
The Miami Herald reports on the first suicide victim, Sydney Aiello who graduated from high school last year, she shot herself in the head. Aiello’s close friend, Meadow Pollack was killed in the attack.
A week after Sydney Aiello graduated from her Parkland high school last June, the teen shared a suicide awareness post encouraging others to check on those friends who “seem the strongest,” citing the publicized celebrity suicides of Robin Williams, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain.
“Asking for help is not a weakness,” the shared message said, with the hashtag, “#thislifeneedsyouinit.”
snipAfter the shooting, grief counselors and fluffy therapy dogs consoled traumatized students, including Aiello.
But the therapy could only help so much. Last Sunday, the 19-year-old took her life. The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office told NBC News that Aiello died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Her family said she killed herself because of survivor’s guilt. She had recently been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Miami Herald reports on the second victim who killed himself Saturday.
A second Parkland shooting survivor has killed himself, Coral Springs police confirmed on Sunday.
Investigators told the Miami Herald that a current Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student died in “an apparent suicide” on Saturday night.
Police are still investigating.
Though police could not confirm the age of the student, Coral Springs police spokesman Tyler Reik said the student was a juvenile. Sources say the student was a male sophomore. His name has not been released.
We are now at a new total of 19 murdered students and teachers. It‘s hard being a kid. x xYouTube Video