Hundreds Attend Funeral Of Gay 15 Year Old Jamie Hubley; His Tumblr A Portrait Of Someone Seduced By Cutting And Suicide

Hundreds assembled Thursday at Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church in Ottawa, Ontario for the funeral of 15-year-old Jamie Hubley, a gay teenager who committed suicide after being bullied, the CBC reporting that the church was filled to double its capacity during the hour-long service. The traditional funeral mass was led by Reverend Pierre Champoux, whose overall message could be boiled down to comparing depression to cancer, saying both are sometimes terminal. The eulogies were read by Jamie's first cousins and his friend, Luke Spiro, who all spoke of his desire to create a club for gay teens at his high school. Hubley wrote on his suicide note in an online blog he was the only openly gay student in his school. His father, Ottawa councillor Allan Hubley, said his son suffered from depression and was constantly bullied throughout elementary school and high school. Emotions were very high outside after the funeral as the urn carrying Hubley's ashes was taken away. A student at A.Y. Jackson Secondary School, where Hubley attended, said the school is overwhelmed by how people have come together after his death. Hubley was a figure skater and came out in high school, which led to increased homophobic taunting, his father has said. His death has struck a chord with many gay teenagers across Canada and even in the U.S. Many have posted tribute songs and videos online to honour Hubley. Thursday also marked Spirit Day across North America as many people wore purple to show support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual youth. The family wants all donations to be made to the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa in honour of Jamie. Jamie’s Tumblr - Catch Me Blondy (sic) - reveals something far different from simply the struggles of an adolescent struggling to find acceptance after coming. His postings – which seem to consist solely of musings of cutting and suicide – should have served as an obvious warning sign that the 15 year-old required far more help that he was receiving.