Two years after a 12-year-old boy died by suicide, the Tooele community he called home continues to honor his memory.
Samie and Andrew Hardman can never forget the day their son, Drayke, took his life.
“I would never ever want anybody, even my worst enemy, to feel the pain that I have to feel every day,” explained Samie. “We’re here to protect our kids and I protected him every day until he didn’t let me anymore.
“And the day that happened was the day that he got quiet.”
While the family was still at the hospital, holding Drayke’s hand, his sisters had the idea to start a movement in their brother’s honor.
“Why are we making it public? Why are we bringing attention to it?,” asked Andrew Hardman. “I think that’s kind of the stigma that Utah has had for a long time, is that we don’t like to talk about it with our kids, about mental health and how it can impact their day and their lives.”
The Hardman’s say Drayke committed suicide because he was bullied by a classmate at school.
Since February 2022, the ” Do It For Drayke Foundation ” has raised awareness for identifying mental health problems and suicidal ideations in kids.