Family Loses Father and Son to Suicide as a Result of Bullying
Wanda and Kevin Jacobsen with Robin Gelfenbien
My friend Robin Gelfenbien is a funny gal with a very serious mission: to stop bullying in schools. Gelfenbien was bullied – of all places – at college, and she’s written a hilarious solo show about it called, “My Salvation Has a First Name: A Weinermobile Journey.” The show details Gelfenbien’s summer of redemption on the road as an ambassador for Oscar Meyer, during which time she overcame her fear of the bullies who made her university experience a living hell.
The actress/activist has been sharing her anti-bullying message at schools across the country for about the last year. Somewhere along the way, she met Wanda and Kevin Jacobsen, who she describes as “passionate advocates of anti-bullying legislation, and two of the warmest and kindest people I’ve ever met.”
The Jacobsen’s lost their son, Kameron, to bullying-related suicide in January 2011, and spent the rest of the year fighting against bullying in schools. On The Huffington Post, Marlo Thomas writes, Kevin “spoke to a crowded room at the U.S. Department of Education at a bullying conference last fall” and “he roused them to a standing ovation.”
Unfortunately, Kevin was not able to withstand the grief of losing his son; he, too, committed suicide on January 7, 2012, just about a year after Kameron’s death.
Gelfenbien and others who know the family have set up a fund “to help Wanda and her two children through this incredibly trying time.” Gelfenbien says, “If you can contribute any amount (large or small), it will make a difference to this family who’s been through so much.” To make a donation, visit the Wanda Jacobsen Fund. To learn more about Kevin, Kameron and the Jacobsen’s anti-bullying efforts, you can watch Kevin’s performance at The Moth or visit the Kindness Above Malice (KAM) Foundation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wanda and her children during this very sad time. (On a related note: If, like me, you’ve experienced a suicide in your family, you can get help and support at The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.)
Photo: Robin Gelfenbien
![Anderson Cooper Begins Week-Long Bullying Prevention Coverage [VIDEO]](http://cdn2.www.babble.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ac360-bullying-100x100.jpg "Anderson Cooper Begins Week-Long Bullying Prevention Coverage [VIDEO]")
This is very sad…the entire issue with bullying has got to stop. Goodness…
Vanessa
I think this entire trend of blaming people’s mental health problems on bullying has to end.
I heard about this story a few weeks ago and it’s completely heartbreaking. These kids need know that bullying just doesn’t affect the victim, it affects thier family too. I can’t even begin to imagine the loss this woman has had to deal with, nor the pain her husband must have felt to cause him to take his own life. Parents need to teach thier children that bullying is not funny or cool, it’s cruel and should never be tollerated and if they are caught bullying another child they will suffer real consequences.
I think there are people that have mental problems and they may ALSO be bullied. If you were being harrassed on your job (mental problems or not) HR would, by law, have to deal with the situation. But we put up with it in schools by saying kids will be kids. That’s where adults should step in. It’s our job to guide them and curb despicable behavior such as bullying.
@Linda are you refering to the mental health of the bullies or the bullied?
It is indeed a sad story. Bullying needs to be stopped in schools as well as grown -up people using their jobs, to bully as well. This is how the children are participating in bullying because they are mentoring after bullying adults. There are people that will call a person’s house, or use their office jobs and their authority in certain positions to actually bully tax paying citizens. It needs to stop in America. It is a pure dis-grace to our country. I once wrote our President that they are tracking down terrorist, which is good, however, they need to stop the terrorist here in the US that mis-use their authority to bully and punish people on these jobs, and punishing people by with holding their un-employment, or causing them dis-comfort just to bully them and call themselves teaching the person a lesson. What kind of lesson is this? Teaching people to bully people, now it as filtrated into the schools, and communities, which is wrong, and Bullying needs to stop. There are people who can not deal with it and they are being forced to take their own lives as a result of this form of terrorism. Thanks for the opportunity to share. Wanda Griffit