Family blames bullying for suicide

Jordan Ryan Binion was like a lot of high school seniors. He loved snowboarding, playing his acoustic and electric guitars and rapping with friends.

But even his family didn’t know what he was going through at school.

Four days after he turned 17, Jordan killed himself in his home. His parents, brother and sister are all wondering why.

Graham-Kapowsin High School, in the Bethel School District, is investigating. They say they didn’t know Binion was being bullied at school. A classmate at tells me the bullying was mostly verbal, and it was “constant.” Binion got into an off-campus fight after a text message was circulated about him. So far, no one is saying what the message said.

We do know what the family said in an obituary no parent should ever have to write:

“Jordan, you were a wonderful person, kind and thoughtful. We will miss your sense of humor and bright smile. You were such a bright young man and we will miss you so much. We love you.”

There will be a memorial service at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Federal Way on Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. The family asks that donations in honor of Jordan be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.