The family of 12-year-old Kaiyah Kennedy, who died by suicide on October 2, say their 'world has been shattered' by the loss of their 'beautiful boy'.
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world → die → boy
Kaiyah was one of two young boys from a close-knit junior rugby league club on Queensland's Gold Coast who died by suicide within days of each other.
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who → knit → other
He died just days after Treyvon Te Tahi Bradshaw, 13, who died on September 26.
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who → die → September
Both boys played for the Coomera Cutters Rugby League Club and shared a love of football and sport.
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boys → play → football
Kaiyah's family have spoken about their devastating loss in the hope that sharing his story will help other children and families struggling with ADHD and mental health.
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sharing → speak → ADHD
In a statement to the Daily Mail, the family said 'there is now a space in our lives that can never be filled.
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that → say → lives
We will carry the pain of losing him for the rest of our lives'.
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We → carry → lives
But the family said they did not want Kaiyah to be remembered only for the way he died.
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he → say → way
'We want people to know how he lived,' they said.
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Sports fan Kaiyah Kennedy, 12, died by suicide on October 2
Kaiyah's family said their 'world has been shattered' but are calling for greater understanding of ADHD and children's mental health
Behind his outgoing personality, however, his family said Kaiyah was struggling with challenges they wanted people to better understand.
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people → die → challenges
'Behind that beautiful, funny and outgoing boy, though, was a child whose mind could make life incredibly difficult for him,' they said.
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they → make → him
'ADHD is so much more complex than the stereotype of a hyperactive little boy who cannot sit still.
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who → sit → boy
For some children, it can mean enormous emotions that they don't yet have the ability to regulate.
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they → mean → ability
It can mean the highest highs and the lowest lows.
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It → mean → highs
It can mean acting before their brain has had the chance to process the consequences, struggling with impulse control, and experiencing feelings so intensely that they can become completely overwhelming.'
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they → mean → feelings
The family said there needed to be a greater understanding of ADHD and children's mental health, particularly among young boys.
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family → say → boys
'A child struggling with their mental health does not automatically come from a broken home, bad parents or a troubled upbringing,' they said.
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they → struggle → home
Sometimes a child can be surrounded by love, have parents fighting ferociously for them and still be fighting a battle inside their own mind that other people cannot see.'
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people → surround → that
Kaiyah's family said 'ADHD is so much more complex than the stereotype of a hyperactive little boy who cannot sit still'
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who → say → boy
Kayiah's family family said they did not want Kaiyah to be remembered only for the way he died
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect attention, behaviour, impulse control and emotional regulation.
The family said they had fought to get Kaiyah the help and support he needed.
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he → say → help
'We fought for Kaiyah.
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We → fight → Kaiyah
We advocated for him, we sought help for him and we tried with everything we had to understand what he needed and keep our beautiful boy safe,' they said.
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they → advocate → boy
'I would have done absolutely anything to save my son.'
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I → do → son
The family said they would carry the pain of losing their son for the rest of their lives, but did not want his death to define him.
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death → say → him
'But I refuse to let Kaiyah's life be reduced to his final moments,' they said.
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they → refuse → moments
'If sharing his story makes another parent recognise that their child needs help, makes another person take ADHD and children's mental health more seriously, or ultimately helps save another young person's life, then I will continue speaking his name and telling his story.
'
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I → share → story
Kaiyah mattered.
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Kaiyah → matter → ?
Kaiyah was loved beyond words.'
Kaiyah died just days after Treyvon Te Tahi Bradshaw, 13, who played on the same rugby league team and had also struggled with his mental health
'
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who → love → health
'We couldn't save our boy, but in his name, we will do everything we can to help save another.
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we → save → another
Coomera Cutters Rugby League Club, where both boys played, urged members of its community to 'look after one another' following the deaths.
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boys → play → deaths
In a statement, the club said: 'To our Cutters family - please look after one another.
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club → say → one
If you’re struggling, you are never alone.
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you → struggle → ?
Speak to someone you trust, reach out, and remember that you are loved, valued and you matter.
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you → speak → someone
If this story affected you, contact Lifeline 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800
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story → affect → 1800
The Aporia
