Tyler Clementi's parents start foundation to honor son
http://dervishcom.blogspot.com/2011/12/tyler-clementis-parents-start.html
Fifteen months after their son jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge, the parents of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi are speaking out. They're doing a whirlwind of media interviews as they begin fundraising for a new foundation created to honor their son.
And they're still mourning his death, which sparked a national debate about the challenges facing gay youth and the potential ugly consequences of cyberbullying. Tyler Clementi killed himself days after his roommate, Dahrun Ravi, had allegedly installed a webcam in their room , then tweeted that his roommate was "making out with a dude."
"We had and still have a lot of grieving to do," says Joe Clementi, Tyler's father. But the family also wanted to create a legacy for their son, a talented violinist whose practice sessions at home were "like a concert every night," Joe Clementi says.
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STORY: One year after suicide, Rutgers focuses on tolerance
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STORY: Former roommate in Rutgers suicide case turns down plea deal
The Tyler Clementi Foundation, launched last week, aims to promote the acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) teens, reduce suicide among young people and discourage cyberbullying. "One statistic I just can't get my ahead around is that LGBT Teens are seven times more likely" to have thoughts about suicide than heterosexual teens, says Joe Clementi, who heads the foundation. "That's just a staggering statistic."
Tyler Clementi jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge in 2010
Facebook.com via AFP
The Clementis, who live in Ridgewood, N.J. have learned a lot about those issues — and about their son — in the months since Tyler's death. Last month, they co-sponsored, with Rutgers University, a symposium on the misuse of social media among teens and young adults. They discovered, through court documents in a criminal case against Ravi, that Tyler had felt his mother, Jane, had "rejected" him when he told him her was gay just before starting his freshman year at Rutgers.
Ravi, who is charged with invasion of privacy, witness-tampering, bias intimidation and other charges related to Clementi's death, on Friday rejected a plea deal that would have kept him out of prison. If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years in prison. The Clementis, who plan to attend the trial, scheduled to begin Feb. 21, say punishment does not have to be harsh to be effective. "From the beginning we've said that what we want is justice, we want accountability," Joe Clementi says. "I trust the court system in the state of New Jersey to find the right answer."
The Clementis, who along with sons James and Brian haven't spoken publicly about the family tragedy until recently, say they appreciated the work of the team that searched and recovered Tyler's body from the Hudson River. "We never really had a chance to thank them in the way that we'd like," Joe Clementi says. "That was very important us."
Joe and Jane Clementi both say friends, family and their faith have helped them cope. Friends helped them develop the foundation, which on its website displays a Roman handshake, along with the explanation: "A gesture of mutual trust which meant both of us could thrive." Donors can receive a gold tone silicone wristband — symbolizing the golden rule —as wearable sign of support.
The family knew within months of the tragedy that they wanted to comemmorate their son. "Joe wanted to get started on the foundation. I think what slowed us down was me," Jane Clementi says. We have been in the process of grieiving and that's a very difficult, difficult process."
And they're still mourning his death, which sparked a national debate about the challenges facing gay youth and the potential ugly consequences of cyberbullying. Tyler Clementi killed himself days after his roommate, Dahrun Ravi, had allegedly installed a webcam in their room , then tweeted that his roommate was "making out with a dude."
"We had and still have a lot of grieving to do," says Joe Clementi, Tyler's father. But the family also wanted to create a legacy for their son, a talented violinist whose practice sessions at home were "like a concert every night," Joe Clementi says.
*
STORY: One year after suicide, Rutgers focuses on tolerance
*
STORY: Former roommate in Rutgers suicide case turns down plea deal
The Tyler Clementi Foundation, launched last week, aims to promote the acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) teens, reduce suicide among young people and discourage cyberbullying. "One statistic I just can't get my ahead around is that LGBT Teens are seven times more likely" to have thoughts about suicide than heterosexual teens, says Joe Clementi, who heads the foundation. "That's just a staggering statistic."
Tyler Clementi jumped to his death off the George Washington Bridge in 2010
Facebook.com via AFP
The Clementis, who live in Ridgewood, N.J. have learned a lot about those issues — and about their son — in the months since Tyler's death. Last month, they co-sponsored, with Rutgers University, a symposium on the misuse of social media among teens and young adults. They discovered, through court documents in a criminal case against Ravi, that Tyler had felt his mother, Jane, had "rejected" him when he told him her was gay just before starting his freshman year at Rutgers.
Ravi, who is charged with invasion of privacy, witness-tampering, bias intimidation and other charges related to Clementi's death, on Friday rejected a plea deal that would have kept him out of prison. If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years in prison. The Clementis, who plan to attend the trial, scheduled to begin Feb. 21, say punishment does not have to be harsh to be effective. "From the beginning we've said that what we want is justice, we want accountability," Joe Clementi says. "I trust the court system in the state of New Jersey to find the right answer."
The Clementis, who along with sons James and Brian haven't spoken publicly about the family tragedy until recently, say they appreciated the work of the team that searched and recovered Tyler's body from the Hudson River. "We never really had a chance to thank them in the way that we'd like," Joe Clementi says. "That was very important us."
Joe and Jane Clementi both say friends, family and their faith have helped them cope. Friends helped them develop the foundation, which on its website displays a Roman handshake, along with the explanation: "A gesture of mutual trust which meant both of us could thrive." Donors can receive a gold tone silicone wristband — symbolizing the golden rule —as wearable sign of support.
The family knew within months of the tragedy that they wanted to comemmorate their son. "Joe wanted to get started on the foundation. I think what slowed us down was me," Jane Clementi says. We have been in the process of grieiving and that's a very difficult, difficult process."
