Presentation by Mr. John Halligan: “Ryan’s Story”



John Halligan is from Underhill, Vermont. He lost his thirteen year old son, Ryan, to 
suicide on October 7, 2003. At the time of his death, Ryan was a student at a middle 
school in Essex Junction, VT. It was revealed in much greater detail after Ryan’s 
death that he was ridiculed and humiliated by peers at school and on-line. 

In memory of his son and in just a few months after Ryan’s death, John spearheaded 
the Vermont Bully Prevention bill H.629 during the 2004 legislative session which was 
signed into law as ACT117 on May 18, 2004. He also successfully led the passage of 
bill H.630 pertaining to suicide prevention education in public schools during the 2006 
Vermont legislative session which became ACT 114. 

John has been outspoken about the need for more education and prevention of bullying, 
cyber bullying and teen suicide throughout the United States and Canada. His son’s story 
and his accomplishments in response to this tragedy have been told world-wide by 
countless print and TV media such as the CBS Morning Show, CNN, Inside Edition, 
Good Morning America and radio programs including the BBC World Radio and NPR. 
Primetime with Diane Sawyer devoted an entire episode to cyber bullying and Ryan’s 
story on September 14, 2006 called “Cruel Intentions.” John and his wife Kelly also 
appeared in the PBS Frontline special called “Growing Up On-line.” 

His 90 minutes presentation begins with a short video collection of home movie clips and 
still pictures of Ryan as a very powerful way of introducing his son to the audience. 
John then begins to tell the story of Ryan’s life and the factors that led up to his son’s 
suicide. The audience will gain a perspective from inside a family of a child who is a 
victim of bullying and cyber bullying. They will also gain a deeper understanding of the 
devastating impact of a teen suicide on a family. There are many powerful life lessons 
which will be imparted, including forgiveness and finding ways to turn a tragedy into hope 
for others. Thirty minutes at the end are set aside so the audience will also have the 
opportunity to ask questions. John has been told by principals after every presentation 
that they have never witnessed before a speaker who captured and held their students’ 
attention so completely and had such a lasting impact too. 

We encourage you to visit a website named for his son: www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org for 
more information.