“I remember sitting in my room and thinking how hard life could be. At a young age you feel the world is weighing on your shoulders.”
CRUELLY BULLIED IN SCHOOL
A finalist in the Miss Universe New Zealand pageant has killed herself at the age of 23.
Amber-Lee Friis had her whole life ahead of her, but the demons of the past took over.
The young woman from Auckland, who was half-Samoan from her father’s side, was bullied in school because of her appearance.
Classmates called her “Chimoan,” a racist term referring to her slanted eyes and tanned skin — a feature considered beautiful in the Miss Universe contest. She was 21 when she travelled to Thailand as part of the 2018 competition.
Amber-Lee’s home life as a child was one of neglect and alienation. Many nights there was no dinner on the table, she once confided.
Tributes are pouring in from her friends.
‘Rest In Peace Amber-Lee, you are so loved by so many people,’ one posted to Amber-Lee’s Facebook page.
‘Beautiful inside and out Amber!! Thank you for always being a genuinely kind and loving friend,’ wrote another.
‘Rest in peace you Beautiful girl, I cherish every moment I spent with you till we see each other again,’ another heartbroken friend wrote.
Absolutely tragic, just wish people were more empathetic and emotionally smart
How tragic that we still sit in judgement of those we know nothing about. How we still too often condemn those that don’t look like us in appearance. Another beautiful young life taken before it has even started. A result of humankind’s lack of acceptance that we are all one people. One species. Living together on one world. All the same — yet beautiful in our subtle differences.
We will forever remain divided, until we all can overcome, this ugly human trait.
A beautiful young life indeed — even more tragic because what the jerks in school ragged her about the Miss Universe judges saw as adding to her unique beauty.
Kids in school can be cruel, I was a victim myself a century ago.
She was a new Zealand icon. We don’t have many of those which makes this all the more sad
If only she could have endured her emotional and psychological pain a little longer, she might have had a life — 23 is so young to end it all. And the bitter irony is, she was actually beautiful.
Omg do tragic this 🙁