Friends of a Galway teenager who tragically took his own life at the weekend learned of his death on the social networking website Bebo. The 17 year old was a Leaving Certificate student at the Bish.

"Thanks to everyone who made me happy, goodbye and good luck," was the teenager's message to his friends on the site.

Many of his friends left comments such as "good luck" and "I'll miss you" on the page after reading the news just hours after his death, the Galway Independent understands.

A parent of another child at the school, who did not wish to be named, said her son and other users of the site had known of the tragedy within hours, long before their parents.

"The kids knew before the adults - there was nothing to prepare them. But I think with Bebo there is a lack of hold on reality. They're not in touch with reality on Bebo and that scares me. The site kind of glorified it. I saw it, and I think when news spreads that parents have seen it, it's amazing how quickly it goes down.

"From the reaction and the comments on the site, in a way it's like they have seen it on TV. Children aren't shocked by anything any more.

"He said he looked forward to seeing them again in another place, and a lot of the comments were just things like 'I'll miss you' and 'good luck' - I mean, 'good luck'? It was like they were saying goodbye to a friend travelling to America. I know they would have been in shock but the fact that they responded in such a mild way… they're not thinking in terms of finality. I'm afraid they're thinking it's just a choice we're all allowed to make and that some of them will follow it," she said.

The page has now been removed from view. Bebo removes profile pages of deceased members if it receives a request from a parent, guardian, legal representative or law enforcement official. Shocked students at the Bish were yesterday receiving counselling.

Marie Whyte of Console, the support group for people living with suicide, told the Galway Independent that she had not come across something like this before.

"Most of the suicides that we deal with are in the over-20 age group. No two cases are the same, but this is something new that we haven't seen before," she said.

Console provides counselling for people bereaved by suicide. The charity's helpline can be contacted on 1800 201890.

Comments (6) »

You make me sick
written by Anon, May 10, 2008

How dare you publish such absolute rubbish?!
You didn't know Adrian.You didn't know what an amazing guy he was or about all of the stuff he had to put up with.
You took his words and twisted them.
When Adrian said he wanted to be remembered as a household name, that was from a poem.He didn't do what he did to be famous.He did it because he was unhappy and wanted to be with god.
It's such a tradgedy and you just made it worse.
The last thing Adrian's friends needed was a poorly written article ridiculing the way they chose to say goodbye to their friend.
We were all in shock and were were hardly going to write a 3 page essay on how angry and devestated we were.
We said "good luck" and "R.I.P" because we didn't know what else to say.
How dare you imply that we think suicide is a normailty and our comments could even be seen as encouraging?
Just because we didn't pour our hearts out over bebo it doesn't mean we don't care.The last week has been like hell for most of us and we shouldn't have to explain ourselves to anyone.
I haven't even mentioned Adrian's poor family.
How can you live with yourself?His parents just lost their son and his younger brother and sister lost their older brother.
now they have to see his face all over your paper, and listen to you go on about how he wanted the fame and how he was encouraging people to follow in his footsteps.You make me sick.

Adrian posted his note on bebo so he could say goodbye to his friends and wish them luck.
Not to become famous and hope others would do the same.
Bebo is not to blame.
The real people to blame are the people who have bullied him his whole life.Who made him feel worthless and like he didn't deserve to be alive.
But you don't care about that, do you?
you have your story and you don't give a second thought to all his family and friends who are left to deal with the mess.
I hope you're proud of yourself.

Disrespectful, exagerrated and terribly edited
written by Anonymous, May 10, 2008

I am a friend of this guy and I would just like to say I was sickened and horrified to see this article. The woman quoted in this article clearly has no idea what about what she is talking about. "The site kind of glorified it". There is no way to glorify such a horrible death. Does she honestly think hearing about it on bebo makes it any better? We lost a friend that day and nothing can make that loss any easier or better.

As for something many people will follow I know of people who, after experiencing the pain and sadness caused have made pacts not to ever do such things.

And yes the teenagers found out before the adults but may I ask what is so wrong with that? The people who loved and cared for him found out before people who simply saw him as "my kid's friend". In my opinion these are the people who deserve to know first (besides the family).

As for responding "mildly" what were we supposed to write? People wrote "Good luck" because his last words were "Good bye and good luck" so they were simply responding to them and as for "Miss you" of course they said "Miss you" because we will miss him. He was a wonderful human being and you couldn't meet a nicer person. Also the majority of the comments said "R.I.P" but you seem to have neglected that haven't you? I suppose telling the truth doesn't get you headlines now does it?

I have tears in my eyes as I write this comment. I have been deeply upset by this death and this article has made things worse. How could you do these sort of things to the grieving friends and family. We all just lost someone and then you come along and mis-represent our friend and give him a bad name. I hope you're happy with yourself. You hear about journalists exploiting others to get good stories. You just don't expect them to stoop so low.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED
written by Anonymus, May 10, 2008

after reading that aricle i was disgusted as it was do disrespectful...all you seem to care about is your big "headlines"...did you even stop to think about the deceased falmily?....ovbiously not because if you had you wouldn't have wrote something so disrespectful......

You should be ashamed
written by anom, May 09, 2008

17 year old ere. I read this article and i am totally discusted. It is totally unfair and insencentive to have commented on the words of this young mans friends. It totally took away from their privacy. I am sure the writer/person quoted of the article is not young! Therefore s/he should not be commenting on our behavour! Personally i do not know the student by the way nor any of his friends! "Good luck" Whats wrong with that? Like seriously... they were using his site as a kind of memorial! What did ye expect to find ??? "Oh i am so sorry you killed yourself..i cry myself to sleep every night!" This is just the teenagers in question had to deal - their way to cope - and I do not believe you should be disrespecting their privacy to get another 'headline'! I know that us teens are not perfect and that we sould be ashamed but this I think you should be ashamed of yourselves. Disrespecting this young man is all you did and belittled his friends! thank you, an angry student!

Tragic student posted suicide note on Bebo
written by Margaret Murray, May 08, 2008

My colleagues and I were discussing the article at work to-day.We feel the tone of the article related to the use/misuse of Bebo without taking from the enormity of the loss of that young man.We felt the author of the article picked up on the anger of that parent who spoke about how Bebo is sometimes used in a negative way.I too read the site within hours of his death as my sons were looking at it.I was so saddened and horrified- a very private loss aired and discussed in the public eye.The parent who spoke is sad. Angry also about the loss of a young life-not even the social network of Bebo could support him and prevent him from doing what he did.

Tragic student posted suicide note on Bebo
written by Anonymus, May 07, 2008

THe article written in the Galway Independent on wednesday May 07 was disresoectful to the deceased teenager. The way in which it written gave the friends who wished the deceased well were meant in the best way possible.Where it says in the article "I mean good luck? It was like they were goodbye to a friend traveling to America" was inappropriate. In all fairness friends of the deceased would have been shocked after viewing his page. Comments like "i hope your're in a better place" were not mentioned and this portrayed all his friends in a bad way. His suicude was not "glorified" and friends of the deceased who are mourning his death found this article upsetting.
Yours Sincerely,
Anonymus

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