I found this artical and i just had to share it. The internet is often used for bad things, as you can tell by what happened to this boy. But it is also a great tool. For bloggers or friends trying to stay in touch! Check it out it is amazing!!
Boy in England has a
Newmarket teen and the Internet to thank for his life
by Monica Bugajski
A 14-year-old girl in Newmarket
knew a cry for help when she heard one and managed to save a 16-year-old boy's
life all the way in England.
For thousands, the Internet has become a place to form friendships with
people that they may never meet in person. For others, it is a place to torment
those they won't ever have to see. Though all 14-year-old Paige Dayal knew about
Luke was his name, she was particularly unsettled by the comments on his Tumblr
account one night and decided she had to reach out a helping hand.
For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Tumblr, it's a blogging platform
that allows users to share photos, audio, video, and any opinions they may have.
Tumblr users can follow one another and comment on each other's posts. Paige had
600 followers on her Tumblr account, and Luke was one of them.
On February 7, a despondent Luke made a post in which he said that he didn't
have any friends and that everyone hated him. His blog was bombarded by hate
comments telling him that he was worthless and that he should end his life.
Paige read the post and comments, and after Luke stopped posting, she had an
irksome feeling that he was perhaps going to do something drastic. Only knowing
that Luke lived in England, Paige called the police and the RCMP. When they said
they couldn't help, she did some online sleuthing and found Luke's town. She was
able to contact the central police in the Bath region, who arrived at Luke's
house just in time. The 16-year-old boy had swallowed 36 pills and had to be
rushed to the emergency room.
Had Paige not acted on her concern, Luke may not have made it through the
night, and though it isn't the first of its kind, the incident reminds us that
people really can affect one another's lives, regardless of the platform through
which they interact.
Paige's mother believes the most important lesson here is that "one person
can make a difference" in someone's life, and she's absolutely right. The
Internet just allows that impact to happen quicker and from anywhere and
everywhere. Though it seems amazing that Paige was able to hear Luke's cry for
help all the way across the ocean, she was very much a part of his world. Every
time he got on his computer, he had access to her thoughts and posts, and she to
his. So it seems natural that she should step in when he needed help, the only
thing is, she was the only one who actually did something. Yes, others offered
support. For all the negative comments he got, Luke received hundreds of
encouraging ones. But Paige is unique in that she had the sense to take her
support offline and into the real world. She can honestly say that she played a
key role in saving this boys life.
Though Luke is doing better, he knows he has a rough journey to recovery
ahead. On his Tumblr he posted, "I am so grateful to the girl in Canada who rang
the police. Seriously I LOVE YOU," and those who love him are grateful as
well.
Don’t forget to smile!
8:36 PM
Tamara
