TikTok users are sharing their condolences following the tragic death of Vessel Lawrence.
TikTok has been flooded with tributes to Wessel Lawrence, a high school student who died last week after being accused of bullying.
The death of a Year 9 Die Hoërskool Wonderboom student was confirmed by the school last week.
Lawrence gained popularity on the social media platform TikTok for videos of her making tea.
Watch: Lawrence makes tea
@wessellourens101 #tea ♬ Original song – Wessel
Tributes and controversy on TikTok
News of his death rocked TikTok, with tributes pouring in with the phrase “Make tea for Vessel.”
@xx_zanel_henry_xx1 This really breaks my heart 💔#riv #teaforwessel #rip #wessellourens ♬ Original song – ☆ 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐇 ☆
Another popular TikToker, Oarabile Mashigo, also known as “Mashno Potato,” explained how he was influenced by Wessel's videos.
@mashnotpotatoess RIP Wessel Lourens #mashnotpotatoes #southafricatiktok #newsstories #incaseyoumissedit #newsnexus ♬ Enter key click Keyboard decision (1146481) – Yorm
Also read: TikTok bans thousands of SA accounts for violating rules
School response to bullying allegations
According to The CitizenIn its sister publication, the Pretoria Record, the school denied the bullying claims.
His content reportedly earned him the nickname “Tea Boy”, and some thought this was used as an allegation of bullying.
“We have a professionally qualified counselor who has been on the path with Wessel since the beginning of this year. The intervention the counselor made was not related to any bullying behavior and its content was confidential. .”
The school added that Wessel's mother, his counselor and the year head he worked with said he was doing very well and had been happier in recent months than he had been all year.
Also read: Social media: saving children from themselves
@wessellourens101 #Afrikaans ♬ Original song – Wessel
Wessel's school attendance also confirms this. He was absent for 18 days in the first and second terms, but only two days in the third term, and none at all in the fourth term. Wessel had very kind and supportive friends who moved around with him all the time.
“There was nothing in Mr. Wessel's behavior to indicate that he did not want to attend school. He was doing well academically on recent exams, with an average exam score of over 60% and a 20% grade in the first semester. A significant improvement from %.
“It is very sad to us that this tragic situation is being exploited by individuals who can gain financial gain by using it to gather more followers,” the school said. Ta.
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