An actress has been given a deadline to raise $170,000 if she wants to be able to preserve the body of her son, who tragically took his own life.
Clare McCann is facing the unthinkable after the sudden, heartbreaking loss of her 13-year-old son, Atreyu, who died by suicide after what she describes as “months of relentless bullying.”
Now, she’s launching a desperate and emotional campaign to cryogenically preserve his body in the hopes that science may one day bring him back.
McCann, known for her role as Cherry on the TV series Blog Party and for founding the Sydney International Women’s Film Festival, has launched a GoFundMe campaign with an ambitious target — AU$300,000 (about $193,000) — to cover the costs of cryogenically freezing Atreyu’s body.
“We only have one chance left to cryogenically preserve his body within the next 7 days,” she wrote. “If we miss this window, we lose the chance for any future revival that science may offer. This is about hope and justice. Refusing to let my son’s story end in silence.”
The time pressure is immense.
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe had raised around AU$13,895 — far from its goal, with very little time left to act.
McCann said: “Realistically, from Thursday (May 29), I know I should be putting him in a fully synthetic sleeping bag and putting ice packs surrounding him at the minimum to have any kind of chance but I just don’t want to disturb him if this is all for nothing.”
She continued: “He deserves a second chance to live the life he wanted.”
According to McCann, her son had long been interested in the possibility of cryopreservation.
Speaking to News.com.au, she shared: “About six or seven years ago we started talking about the after life and heaven and I talked to him a little about cryogenics, and he told me he would like to do that.”
“We would talk about maybe we would be revived in a future so far ahead that humans have the ability to swim under water with extended breathing with the dolphins and the whales, or fly, or live on another planet…”
She added: “The only comfort I can find right now is that this must have been our purpose.”
The funds raised will not only cover cryopreservation, but also legal, transportation, and medical costs. McCann also hopes to set up a trust in Atreyu’s name to protect his legacy.
McCann says the tragedy began after Atreyu transitioned from homeschooling to South Sydney High School on February 7.
“He was bullied from the day he started,” she said. “It was just relentless. He started to withdraw. He wouldn’t speak to me about all the things, but I was still advocating for him every day.”
Despite presenting medical records, psychological assessments, and a PTSD diagnosis, McCann claims the school failed to intervene. “They wouldn’t expel or suspend. It’s wrong when there are so many incidents in schools. The school system fails children.”
In a heartbreaking Instagram post, she wrote: “It breaks my heart beyond what words can compare to share that in a moment of unbearable pain Atreyu took his own life. This was not his fault. He had suffered horrendous amounts of bullying.”
She added: “He was just 13. He deserved a future. If the school and government had acted when I asked, he might still be alive. I begged for help. I submitted complaints. I shared medical records. No one listened.”
In another public statement, McCann said: “This was not his fault. He was let down by the schooling system as he suffered horrendous amounts of bullying.
"Now I humbly beg of you to help me preserve his life and help me fight against this inhumane landslide of child suicides caused by unchecked bullying by schools and teachers.”
Cryogenic preservation remains a controversial and largely speculative procedure. Experts warn that despite cryoprotective agents used during the process, the freezing of bodies to -196°C poses severe risks, including irreversible tissue and brain damage.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.