Kayde Cooper: tributes flowing for Ballarat teenager

A heartbroken Ballarat family is preparing to farewell a “beautiful boy” at his upcoming funeral. Read their powerful message to the community.

Tributes are flowing for Ballarat teen Kayde Cooper, 16, who took his life on 10/01/2023

A distraught mother has urged parents to discuss mental health with their children after her teenage son took his life after weeks of intense bullying.

Emily Forbes believes her “beautiful boy” Kayde Cooper was pushed to breaking point by cruel and sustained bullying through social media.

Through tears she believes her “handsome” son reached a point where “he couldn’t take it anymore”, leading to the 16-year-old dying by suicide on Tuesday.

Ms Forbes remembered her son as a “beautiful sweetheart with big brown eyes and an infectious smile”.

“He lit up every room he walked into,” she said.

Her second of four children, she lovingly remembers how he would pick flowers for her every day when he walked home from primary school.

Two years ago he left high school to become an apprentice painter — a job he loved second only to his love of football.

Ballarat teenager and talented footballer Kayde Cooper is being mourned by all who knew him

Ballarat teenager Kayde Cooper is being remembered as a loving son, brother and friend

“He was a Sebastopol Burras boy through and through,” Ms Forbes said.

He started playing in the Sebastopol Football and Netball Club’s under-10s team before going on to play in the under-17s last season, with his eyes on progressing to the under-19s in future.

Kayde was not only a talented all-rounder on the field, but he was also a passionate leader.

While footy season “was life” to Kayde, his loved ones were also a top priority.

He was not only a son but also a little brother, big brother, uncle, grandson, great grandson, nephew and cousin.

“He was someone who loved his family. Someone who loved his friends immensely.

“His mates, guys and girls, meant the world to him,” Ms Forbes said.

“He would do anything for them.”

She described her “incredibly handsome”, “outgoing” and “confident” son as “very social and popular”.

“He could walk into a room of sad people and turn it into a party,” she said.

But in the last six weeks Kayde’s phone had been blowing up with cruel messages and taunts encouraging him to suicide.

The stress took a serious toll on his mental health.

“I don’t understand why kids just don’t stop,” she said.

“I think he just had enough and he couldn’t take anymore of it.

“Kayde was a typical teenage boy and I‘m sure he did bite back. He wasn’t perfect but he didn’t deserve this.”

Ballarat teenager Kayde Cooper is being mourned after his suicide this week. Pictured as a child with his siblings Kobie, Kyfer and Kendall. Photo: Supplied

Her message to parents was to “hug your babies tight”, but also to talk to them about social media, bullying and suicide.

“Raising awareness is so important. We are losing too many of our babies - these kids need to talk.

“Talk to them about the impacts it has on people, the pain it causes and the pain it causes to those left behind.

“Because the pain I’m feeling right now is something that I never want any other parent to ever, ever have to feel.”

She also encouraged young people impacted to seek help or advice from trusted adults rather than feeling they needed to handle things themselves.

“Talk to your parents or anybody that you’re comfortable with,” she said.

Although Kayde was receiving mental health support in Ballarat and Geelong, his family feels like it was not enough.

Ms Forbes pushed and pushed to get him mental health help but feels as though he was ultimately “failed” by the health system.

“I feel as though they dismissed him.

“We tried to do what we could but we got nothing back,” Ms Forbes said. “They failed him.”

Just two days after her son’s untimely death and Ms Forbes still hopes her son will walk through the door.

“I keep waking up every day thinking that this is a nightmare, but it’s not.

“I open my eyes and I open my phone and I see his picture everywhere and I realise that he‘s really gone.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to support his distraught family.

“Forever 16,” organiser Katie Cook said.

Ballarat teenager Kayde Cooper is being mourned after his suicide this week. Pictured with his mum Emily and siblings Kobie, Kyfer and Kendall.

“This beautiful boy Kayde Cooper decided on the 10/01/2023 that this earth was no longer [his] place to be.

“Kayde was loved by everyone! And anyone that knew him is in immense shock.”

She said she set up the fundraiser to ease the financial burden on his grieving and “absolutely heartbroken family”.

“Let’s give this legend the send off he truly deserves.”

The 16-year-old’s death is the latest youth suicide to rock the Ballarat community in recent months.

These included talented sportsman Rohan Cosgriff, 17, who took his life in late July.

Apprentice Nick Watts, 16, took his life in August and weeks later his girlfriend Bridie Cocks, 15, tragically took her life.

Ballarat Community Health chief executive Sean Duffy, who is also chair of the Ballarat Suicide Prevention Network, told the Herald Sun the community had been experiencing a “crisis”.

“There are different people in different situations and those who have been directly and indirectly impacted,” he noted.

Also chair of the Ballarat Suicide Prevention Network, Mr Duffy said there needed to be “significantly more investment” into mental health education, training and raising awareness.

Kayde’s funeral will be held at Doveton Park Funeral Centre on Monday, January 23 at 2pm.

Help is at hand Key national 24/7 crisis support services include: • Lifeline 13 11 14; lifeline.org.au • Suicide Call Back Service; 1300 659 467; suicidecall backservice.org.au • MensLine Australia 1300 789 978; mensline. org.au • beyondblue 1300 224 636; beyondblue.org.au • conversationsmatter. com.au Key national youth support services include: • Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800; kidshelp.com.au • headspace 1800 650 890 www.headspace.org.au • The “Can We talk” campaign also is working with Mindframe; mindframe-media.info