The Daily Caller’s Jorge Ventura spoke with Nik and Ikaezia Brannies from Vancouver, Washington, who shared the story of their 13-year-old son Tayvin and how he attempted to commit suicide. They also discussed the effect lockdowns and school closures have had on their son’s mental health.
His parents described Tayvin as a social teen who loved being around people and a great student in the classroom.
“He likes people, he loves hanging with friends,” said Nik. “He loves being the center of attention, that’s who he is.”
Like many teens across the country, Tayvin suffered from depression after months of isolation due to ongoing school closures.
“The main reason on why we are doing this, to bring that awareness and to make sure that parents are paying attention to their children,” said Nik. (RELATED: Mental Health Continues To Plummet Amid Pandemic, Hits 20-Year Low, Survey Finds )
On Jan. 5, Tayvin spent the night at his grandfather’s house nearby. The next morning, while his grandfather went out to pick up his medicine, Tayvin took his grandfather’s handgun and shot himself in the head. Tayvin laid on the ground, bleeding from the head, as his grandfather made the horrific discovery several minutes after the incident.
Tayvin suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head with less than a five percent chance to live. The doctors saved Tayvin’s life and is recovering faster than expected.
“His progress has been nothing short of miraculous,” said Nik. “We’re just happy to have our son, like that’s the biggest thing.”
Tayvin is recovering at a children’s hospital in Washington and won’t be released for at least a few months.
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