Montana Lance
Debbie Lance, mother of bullying-suicide victim Montana Lance, died suddenly over the weekend, according to Channell 11 news. She suffered from the genetic disorder Marfan’s Disease. She also had several heart surgeries over the last few years.
After being bullied repeatedly, Montana hung himself in the school nurse’s office in The Colony in 2010. Debbie and her husband Jason became crusaders for anti-bullying legislation. Along with parents of Asher Brown, the Truongs of Houston, the Lances were among the most outspoken parents of suicide victims and testified before the Senate Education Committee.
From our March 2011 coverage of the hearing on the bill:
Montana Lance’s parents both testified before the committee. His father said that when Montana went to teachers or administrators, they told him not to be a tattletale. Jason Lance said he called the school and followed up every time he knew his son was bullied. Deborah Lance, his mother, said her son was simply overcome by bullying before he went into the nurse’s bathroom and hung himself. She said that in a year, four children in Texas have taken their own lives because of bullying. If legislators don’t act, they can expect another eight to commit suicide before they meet again.
And according to Channel 33 News, which interviewed her two weeks ago, she was planning to be back at the Legislature in 2013 lobbying to strengthen the law.
