Clementi Family Speaks on Stigma of Suicide at Vigil

Family members of Tyler Clementi, the Ridgewood native who took his own life after falling victim to the cyber-bullying of his Rutgers roommate three years ago, spoke out on suicide prevention at a Piscataway vigil on Tuesday, according to a report by Northjersey.com.

Parents Jane and Joseph have become outspoken on suicide prevention, anti-bullying and acceptance of LGBT teens in the years since their son’s death, establishing a foundation in his name to tackle the issues.

Speaking emotionally to the crowd who had gathered to raise awareness of suicide prevention, Clementi’s brother, James, spoke about the stigma that prevents some from reaching out even to those closest to them.

“The stigma is one of the most profound barriers we face in helping people overcome suicidal ideation and get through those dark moments in life,” he said, according to the report. “And I just think that we need to keep sharing our stories, our journeys, our messages so that other families and other individuals won’t know the kind of loss that we have known.”

Read the full article and view a video from the event at Northjersey.com.