Actress Asks for Money To 'Cryogenically Preserve' Son's Body After Death
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A mother is so distraught over the death of her son that she is trying to raise the money to "cryogenically preserve" the boy's body so he can be brought back to life in the future.
Australian actress and journalist Clare McCann lost her 13-year-old son Atreyu to suicide on Friday, and told followers on her Instagram page that he had suffered "horrendous amounts of bullying" before his death. She has now launched a dual campaign to "preserve his life" and "fight against this inhumane landslide of child suicides caused by unchecked bullying."
But she faces a race against time because the process to cryogenically preserve his body must be completed within days, she says, "or the opportunity for him to live again will be lost forever."
McCann shared a link to a GoFundMe page, set up in her name by organizer Scarlett Wathen. Newsweek has reached out to Wathen through the donations website seeking further information and comment.
Actress Clare McCann attends the Sydney Film Festival 2024 at State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on June 5, 2024.
Actress Clare McCann attends the Sydney Film Festival 2024 at State Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on June 5, 2024.
Don Arnold/WireImage
Why It Matters
Cryonics is the process of freezing human remains in the hope that one day science may find a way to bring the person back to life.
In 2019, a monkey was born using sperm from cryogenically preserved testicular tissue, but no human has ever been successfully revived after being cryogenically frozen following their death.
What To Know
McCann, of Sydney, posted on her Instagram page two days ago to inform her 62,000 followers: "It's with shattered hearts that we share the passing of my beautiful son, Atreyu McCann. He was the brightest light in my world — kind, creative, and endlessly loved."
In an update on Sunday, she described her unbearable grief at Atreyu's death, saying, "my worst nightmare has come to life [because] my child's has been stolen." She went on to share a link to the GoFundMe site, writing: "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."
The GoFundMe money will go toward "immediate cryopreservation and legal transportation" and "required medical and legal services for the procedure," McCann said. If the financial target is exceeded, the remaining funds will go toward a "national campaign for anti-bullying education and reform" and "legal action against the institutions that failed him," she added.
McCann featured on Australian TV in Channel V's Blog Party, and set up her own independent film production company, Cherry Productions, before working as a journalist for Sydney outlet Eastern Suburbs Life, according to her Linkedin page. Her son had also dabbled in acting.
The mom told GoFundMe donors: "I am a public figure with a national platform, and I will use every resource I have to make sure this never happens again, not just to my son, but to any other child failed by this system. Please help us preserve our beloved Atreyu."
There is a cryonics lab in the Australian state of New South Wales, and a Sydney man who died in his 80s became "patient one" at Southern Cryonics in May last year.
What People Are Saying
A statement apparently authored by Clare McCann posted on the GoFundMe page describes the circumstances in which her 13-year-old son reportedly took his own life.
"I'm urgently raising $300,000 to cryogenically preserve his body within the next 7 days — or the opportunity for him to live again will be lost forever," she wrote.
"We only have one chance left to cryogenically preserve his body within the next 7 days. 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."
What Happens Next
The heartbroken mother will be hoping to reach her goal of $300,000 Australian dollars (AUD) in the hopes of reviving her son. As of Monday morning, the fundraiser had received 61 donations adding up to a total of $4,512 AUD, which equates to less than 2 percent of the target.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org
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