2020 has taken a toll on all of us, some more than others. Throughout the year, many events have caused us all a lot of stress, especially during coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, in the case of an unidentified 11 year old boy, the stress was too much. 

The child was reported to have shot himself during a Zoom call, and later died from his injuries at the hospital. It is said that the boy had shot himself while in class, muted, and with no camera on. This shot was heard by his sister, who ran in and called the police. He was later taken to the hospital where he died.

I wanted to write this story, to reflect on how this year has been. Many lives have been lost, and not all of them directly linked to COVID-19. It is thought that this boy was stressed from his online classes and thus took his life as a cause of this. This is something that I believe we should talk about more. 

Throughout the years, there has been a significant spike in teenage anxiety and depression. And although this may not be solely because of school, that does not mean school does not play a large role in causing the stress. I have had many close friends who have attempted to take their own lives, and they have told me that past experiences combined with the stress from school have caused them to feel that way. 

What I want others to take away from this is that they should check on others. May that be a friend, or a loved one, just see that they’re feeling healthy mentally, and that they are in a good state. And also, check on yourself. Reflect on life for a minute, think about how you are currently feeling. Check what is stressing you out and stopping you from achieving what you want to achieve.

For the unidentified child’s family. They were not aware, as you can not always see what is happening in someone’s mind and you have to look deeper in order to understand what they’re feeling. May he rest in peace and may his death remind us all about the importance of stress management.