Who was Hayden Hunstable? Texas 12-year-old who hung himself due to Covid-19 isolation was found by little sister
Trigger warning: The following story is about suicide
ALEDO, TEXAS: In April 2020, Hayden Hunstable, a 12-year-old boy from Aledo, Texas, hanged himself in his bedroom three days before his birthday. Hunstable’s father, Brad, has now opened up on how the ongoing pandemic has affected their livelihood and how it took away his son.
The UK’s Metro reported that Hunstable took his own life before his 13th birthday in April 2020 as he did not know how to deal with the isolation and depression when the COVID-19 lockdown was implemented by the government. As per reports, Hayden was found hanging in his bedroom by his nine-year-old sister Kinlee.
“COVID killed my son. I think Hayden would still be alive today if COVID had never happened,” Brad told the outlet. “I had no idea he was struggling or depressed — he was such a happy kid and loved his friends and family.”
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Who was Hayden Hunstable?
Brad, 42, called the pandemic a “perfect storm for suicide and depression”. He added that right when the news of coronavirus started to surface, his son felt overwhelmed by everything that was going around him and took the tragic decision of ending his life.
As per Brad, his son loved playing football and was extremely social. Brad said that his son did not like it when the lockdown made it impossible for him to be around his friends. He reportedly also disliked virtual classes. Brad also recalled the day when Kinlee found Hayden hanging in his bedroom.
Brad said that on April 17, 2020, the water went out in their home and Brad’s father had come there to help and fix it. When Brad’s father left, Hayden went upstairs to his bedroom and died by suicide.
“Then my daughter ran downstairs and said Hayden has hung himself. I ran up there, pulled him down, and tried to save him,” Brad continued. “I performed CPR but I couldn’t save him. He was gone. I saw something horrific that day and I don’t wish it upon anybody. I still get nightmares about it."
Brad revealed that Hayden had received a computer monitor for Christmas in 2019, which he damaged after throwing a video game controller at it. Hayden was told that he will now have to work if he needs another monitor, so he started doing small chores around the home and then received another monitor in April, a couple of days prior to his tragic death. When the investigating officers looked into his bedroom, they learned that Hayden had also broken the second monitor.
“I don’t know if he was scared about getting into trouble or anxious about not being able to speak to his friends and ruining his birthday,” Brad said. “He either did it in impulsive anger or he got himself in a situation he couldn’t get out of.”
Hayden’s Corner:
Right after Hayden’s death, Brad founded an organization, Hayden's Corner, dedicating to educate parents and children about mental health problems. He also created a public notice, titled ‘Fast 13’ where he revealed Hayden’s life story that aims to send a positive message to everyone.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.