Fifteen is an exciting age—not quite old enough to drive to Sonic on your own, but old enough to be out of the pre-teens and on your way to a Friday night football game. Fifteen-year-olds should have so much going for them—a wide-eyed future, a license on the horizon, and a time in your life that should be filled with friends and fun.
No 15-year-old should ever be driven to suicide. But for Sadie Riggs, bullies took from her everything she could have possibly hoped for in her first year of high school—including her life.
Often, when someone passes away, their obituary remembers them in a beautiful way that helps others focus on the good times and appreciate the loved one who’s passed.
Sadie’s obituary did just that—and more.
It’s not often you see an obituary with the deeply personal information regarding the death of the person they’re written about.
But Sadie’s family was not going to let her suicide and her death “slip by.” They wanted to make certain that the only thing being said about their precious Sadie girl was the truth.
Geisel Funeral Home
Reading obituaries to kids over Sunday night dinner doesn’t seem all that typical. But the life and death of Sadie Riggs is one that every parent and child needs to hear about.
In a viral Facebook post, the family announces the death of “Miss Sadie L. Riggs, 15, of Bedford,” then confirms that “she took her own life on Monday, June 19, 2017.”
“Sadie was born in Bedford on December 4, 2001. She is survived by her father, Eric Riggs, and step mother, Alicia Smith of Bedford, and her biological mother, Beverly (Dodson) Riggs of Hopewell, and by her motherly aunt, Sarah Smith, with whom she resided.
Sadie was a member of the Solid Rock Christian Fellowship Church in Bedford. She played softball and loved reading, drawing and music. Sadie was a sweet and loving girl and she will be greatly missed.”
Pretty typical for an obituary—loving, general and simply stating a few things about the beautiful young woman that was taken from them far too soon.
But the family wasn’t finished. After giving people the “roses”—the sweet details of Sadie’s life—they laid it all out there for everyone to know what really caused her sudden death.
“In an effort to debunk the rumors about Sadie’s death we would like to share this information. Yes, Sadie took her own life, she hung herself.
It is hard to fathom that someone so young could be so troubled. Sadie was seeking help, she was in counseling and taking medication, but it was all too much for such a young soul to live with.
If you take a minute and look at Sadie’s family dynamics you will see that a large percent of the people in her life were not related to her by blood but she was sent to us by God who knew this child needed a family. Sadie had a tough life and until a recent incident at school she handled everything life served her.”