Tragic Mia named her bullies in final letter to family
Uncle tells of racial abuse
THE grieving family of a teenager who died by suicide after being remorselessly bullied have said she named her abusers in a letter before her death.
Mia O’Neill suffered horrific racial abuse and bullying, online and in real life, before her tragic death last month.
But her family say they do not want a ‘witch-hunt’ against the bullies – instead, they are setting up a foundation in the Tipperary girl’s name to support vulnerable teens.
The 16-year-old was bullied round-the-clock until the day she died, including on social media platforms such as Facebook.
Her uncle Marc O’Neill said the fact that Mia was mixed-race was a factor. ‘There is a toxic environment in Ireland and racial abuse is there, it’s undeniable,’ he said.
‘Are we living in a society that’s gone so extreme? When we look at the world and the way it’s constructed right now, it’s the most poisonous vacuum any young person can grow up in. We need to remain strong for other people who are not strong.’
Mia was diagnosed with an emotional regulation disorder, and had self-harmed previously, as a result of being bullied.
She had suffered from mental health issues since the age of 12, and had used the services of CAMHS, the HSE and Pieta House.
Her devastated grandfather Willie O’Neill said his ‘heart is breaking’ after losing his first granddaughter.
‘It’s hard to talk about Mia in the past tense,’ he said, fighting back tears.
‘My heart is breaking for what happened to her, the bullying especially. Mia loved me and I loved her. It breaks my heart – I hate having to go the graveyard to visit her. She was very special.
‘She loved the ground I walked on. I knew that. Just the way I loved her.’
The teenager, who had dreams of becoming a make-up artist, was a kind young girl who had ‘packed in so much’ during her life, Willie added.
Meanwhile, Marc described her as a ‘very headstrong young lady but with a heart of gold’. He said: ‘Over the last month, we’ve heard of stories I wasn’t aware of.
‘She used to be in Limerick with friends and if she saw a homeless person in need, she would spend money out of her own pocket to make sure they felt wanted and valued.’
The O’Neill family have set up the One Life Trust, the name of the organisation reflecting a tattoo Mia had.
Marc said: ‘It’s a living nightmare. We’ll never get over this. The only thing we can do is take positive steps for the future youth of Ireland.’
The family has identified a building in Newport, Co. Tipperary, and they hope to provide a safe space for children aged from 12 to 18.
They hope the model can be replicated across the country.
‘We don’t want to see another child suffer at the hands of a failing system, or the hands of a bully, or at the hands or something that could be stopped.
‘We want to be strong for others who can’t,’ added Marc, who was a volunteer with the Pieta House charity.
‘It’s still very raw, but we are trying to put our energy into something good.’
Toxic environment and racial abuse
‘I hate to visit her graveside’