In October of 2003, John Halligan received the call that no parent ever wants to receive. His 13 year old son Ryan had committed suicide in part due to the bullying that he was facing in school and through social media. Mr. Halligan came to OLSH on Wednesday morning to share Ryan’s story with students, faculty, and staff in the hopes of teaching acceptance, accountability, and forgiveness.

Mr. Halligan’s presentation began with a short video collection of home movie clips and still pictures of Ryan before delving into the story of Ryan’s experience with bullying, which began in 5th grade. The bullying continued on, in several different ways, into Ryan’s 8th grade year. That fall, Ryan made the choice to end his life. Mr. Halligan then shared his own healing journey, speaking about how he coped with the loss and how he came to forgive a young woman who played a significant role in Ryan’s decision. 

Shortly after Ryan’s death, Mr. Halligan remembered a phrase he heard from his high school art teacher upon the passing of one of her own former students, “Remember, you can always turn an ink blot into a butterfly.” He used this phrase as motivation to make something good out of his bad situation and to encourage others to do the same so that Ryan’s story will not be repeated.

Through Mr. Halligan’s retelling, students gained a perspective from inside the family of a child who is a victim of bullying and cyberbullying. In the wrap-up session, they received life-changing lessons about forgiveness, suicide prevention, and the role of bystanders.

“I learned to not take things for granted and to always treat people how I want to be treated,” Milan ‘27 reflected after the presentation. “It was very touching,” Julia ‘28 added.

Before granting the students a mental break and sending them back to class, Mr. Halligan challenged everyone in the room to examine their conscience and find the courage to seek out someone they’ve hurt in the past to apologize. “Apologizing will be life changing for you and the person you’re apologizing to,” he said.

The presentation received many positive responses from students and staff alike, and is sure to have the lasting impression that was hoped for. “I’m grateful to the Student Government for sponsoring Ryan’s Story,” said principal Tim Plocinik. “As I shared with Mr. Halligan and the students, this was the most powerful and meaningful presentation that I’ve experienced in my years at OLSH.”

In memory of his son, John Halligan spearheaded the Vermont Bully Prevention bill, signed into law (ACT117) in May 2004. He also successfully led the law's passage on mandatory suicide prevention education in public schools (ACT 114) in April 2006. He is the recipient of several awards, including The FBI Director’s Community Service Award (2009) and The Learning Channel Give a Little Award (2017). He has spoken to over 2000 schools and has appeared on several national television programs.

To learn more, visit https://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/

*Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, parents and students were notified ahead of time and given the choice to opt out of attending the presentation.