Amy “Dolly” Everett was a stunning young lady who got a modeling contract at the age of six. Dolly quickly became the company’s face after being photographed in a large Akubra hat, a famous Australian emblem of the pristine wilderness of the Outback. Unfortunately, the life-changing chance and popularity did not come cheap.
Dolly Everett quickly discovered that jealousy can be a bad thing. Her classmates appeared to be jealous of her achievement rather than pleased by it, so they lashed out at her. Dolly was the victim of vicious and relentless bullying, which spread rapidly at school and on the internet. Soon, “the world’s funniest young girl” had matured into an uncomfortable and timid adolescent who scarcely spoke to people and refused to attend school.
Dolly’s parents were perplexed by the attacks. According to her mother Kate, the young girl was nicknamed a “sl*t” by guys when she was just 12 years old. She is not sure whether 12-year-olds even know what it implies, they shouldn’t, Kate told. She used to reassure her daughter that don’t worry, she’ll fit in. Everyone is attempting to fit in, and they’re just figuring out their social hierarchy. Try not to be rude.
But things didn’t get any better. Rather, Dolly’s parents faced the “longest night” of their lives when their 14-year-old daughter committed suicide. Kate and Tick Everett clutched over Dolly’s lifeless corpse “for hours” that fateful night, waiting for police to come at their isolated cattle property in the Northern Territory.
She cuddled up with her for hours and basically promised her that this wouldn’t be in vain. She was extremely sorry she hadn’t made better decisions, the tearful mother continued. She couldn’t do anything to help her. She is not sure if anyone believes this is the solution to their issues; it isn’t. She wishes her daughter could see herself through her mom’s eyes rather than the eyes of those who caused her to feel that way.
Tick would never forget holding their dead daughter in his arms, and he didn’t want the bullies who forced Dolly to such a dramatic conclusion to forget what they had done. Only days after Dolly’s death, the bereaved father turned to social media with an emotive message for his daughter’s tormentors, intending to serve them a lesson as he extended an unexpected invite.
Tick came right to the point after thanking everyone who had shown support and compassion. This week has been an example of how social media should be utilized, as well as how it should not be, he wrote. If we can prevent other valuable lives from being lost and so many people from suffering, then Doll’s life will not be wasted, he continued, acknowledging that he understands some people regard suicide as cowardly. But he promised those folks wouldn’t have a fraction of the courage that his lovely little angel had, he remarked.
Doll had the courage to do what she believed she needed to do to avoid the darkness in this world, he went on. Dolly will never understand the immense anguish and emptiness that has been left behind. With that said, he has a few issues, Tick continued. If by any way the individuals who believed this was a joke and made themselves feel important by the ongoing bullying and harassment read this message, please come to the service and experience the full destruction they have produced, he said.
Tick then urged the “strong ones,” urging all to stop the bullies no matter where they are, but particularly in the children,” adding that one will never know what one has until it’s gone. Dolly’s Dream is a nonprofit established in her honor by the Everett family. It aspires to help charities and create positive change in order to put a stop to bullying once and for all.
Dolly wished for a better world. In the final design, a tiny person is depicted bending over backward with the lines, Speak, even if ones voice shakes. Although her father feels the “strong message” describes the “dark, terrifying world” his “beautiful daughter” was compelled to endure, it may now be used as a rallying cry for those who want Dolly’s dream to come true.
If her family can demonstrate such great bravery through such a difficult time, we can speak up when we see bullying. Whether it is being done to our own loved one or by our own children, we must speak up. No one should ever have to mourn a kid since bullying drove them so far into sadness that they believed suicide was their only option. Suicide prevention, however, is only one component of this complicated jigsaw.
Bullying must also be tackled. We may be the first line of defense as parents. Therefore, we must not only be proactive in making certain that our children are not bullied, but we must also ensure that we are not rearing nasty kids. There are ramifications to sitting silent and enabling bullies to abuse others. Even if our voice shakes, we will speak up. We’ll make an exception for Dolly. It’s time to put a stop to bullying and abuse.
