SALEM, Va. – Friends and family gathered to honor the life of Autumn Bushman, a young girl who tragically lost her life to suicide after facing bullying. The gathering marked what would have been Autumn’s 11th birthday.
Summer Bushman, Autumn’s mother, described her daughter as “just vivacious, full of life. She loved to dance... I mean, she really cared about everyone.”
It has been eight months since Summer lost her 10-year-old daughter to suicide linked to bullying.
“We’re celebrating Autumn’s heavenly birthday. She would be 11 today, but you know, forever 10,” Summer said.
The community came together with cupcakes, prayer and tealight candles, singing happy birthday to Autumn. Family members released balloons into the sky as a symbol of love and remembrance.
“I originally was just going to sit in bed and not do anything and kind of sulk, but I thought about it and planned this spontaneously,” Summer shared. “I thought to myself, this is not what Autumn would want. Autumn would want me to be happy, to celebrate, and that’s exactly what we did. We had a great turnout.”
Along with honoring Autumn’s memory, a petition was set up to help pass legislation in Virginia that would make bullying a crime, classified as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
“That would be punishable by up to six months in juvenile detention,” Summer explained.
Driven by grief, Summer is determined to turn her pain into change. By working to pass this law, she hopes to prevent the same tragedy from happening to other families.
Those interested in signing the petition for “Autumn’s Law,” can do so online.
“So many people message me on Facebook saying, ‘I have this problem for my daughter, this problem for my son, what can we do?’ That’s really what we’re trying to tackle and accomplish—what can we do about this stuff?” she said. “It really needs to stop. Kids need to learn to be kind.”