A grieving father is speaking out after his 14-year-old son, Jose Zamora, took his own life last Tuesday, saying the teen was relentlessly bullied at Santa Clara High School for being homeless and motherless.
Jose, a California freshman and member of the junior varsity football team, had started at the school just three months ago. His father, Jose Bautista, said his son endured harassment from teammates who discovered he was living at a shelter and battling mental health challenges.
"They were spitting on him, hitting him on the back of the helmet," Bautista told KTVU.
The father and son became homeless earlier this year after being evicted from their apartment and Zamora was staying at the Bill Wilson Center, a shelter for unhoused youth. Bautista, a single father, said he had hoped to find a home for them by the holidays and was heartbroken by his son's death.
"I miss hearing him, seeing him. I miss picking him up," he said.
Santa Clara Unified School District Superintendent Gary Waddell confirmed an investigation is underway. "We in no way condone bullying, harassment, or retribution of any kind and take any such allegations seriously," Waddell said in a statement.
Bautista has launched an online fundraiser to cover his son's burial expenses. He hopes sharing Jose's story will prevent similar tragedies.
"I just don't want this to happen to other people like it happened to me," he said.
Originally published by Latin Times.
