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‘A Fighter For Others’: Amanda Knox, Artists Mourn Suicide Death Of Daisy Coleman
Musical artist Ekoh and comedian Amy Schumer also paid tribute to the "Audrie & Daisy" subject on Instagram.
Celebrities are paying tribute to a sexual assault survivor who devoted her life to advocacy after she died by suicide.
Daisy Coleman, 23, was found dead on Tuesday evening, her mother, Melinda, said on Facebook. Coleman was one of the main subjects of the 2016 Netflix documentary "Audrie & Daisy,” which detailed how Coleman was raped at a Missouri party in 2012 when she was 14. She was then left outside her home in freezing temperatures, inebriated and dressed in only a T-shirt. Her mother found her in a semi-conscious state with frostbite.
After her assault, rumors and half-naked photos of her were spread around her school and rural town. She was ostracized and harassed, and attempted suicide twice in the aftermath. Her family’s house also mysteriously burned down following the rape accusations, KCUR in Kansas City, Missouri reported in 2016.
Despite the ordeal, Coleman became a renowned tattoo artist and an advocate for sexual assault survivors. She also founded SafeBAE, which educates middle school and high school students about rape and bullying across the country.
Still, her mom alluded to the constant pain stemming from the 2012 incident.
"She never recovered from what those boys did to her and it’s just not fair. My baby girl is gone," her mother wrote in her Tuesday Facebook post.
Coleman’s life, and now her death, has affected many.
Amanda Knox, who spent years in an Italian prison after being wrongly convicted of killing her roommate, paid tribute to Coleman in an emotional Twitter thread.
“I'm devastated to learn of the recent death of Daisy Coleman, one of the founders of @safe_bae,” she wrote. “She was so kind & thoughtful, even as the mob sought to erase her after her assault.”
Knox included a photograph of a semicolon tattoo on her finger, which Coleman tattooed on her during a 2018 episode of Knox’s web series “The Scarlet Letter Reports.” In the series, Knox interviews other women who have been sexualized and demonized by the media.
“It's the symbol for suicide survivors,” Knox tweeted about the tat. “Daisy was brave, a fighter for others more than for herself.”
Musical artist Ekoh posted a photo of him and Coleman on his Instagram, explaining that she changed his life.
“Daisy was an incredible human being who lived through more pain and tragedy than any human should ever have to,” he said.
Ekoh celebrated Coleman for bravely speaking out against sexual assault, online bullying, and body shaming.
Comedian Amy Schumer honored Coleman on Instagram by calling her a "warrior" and a "beautiful artist."
"Daisy Coleman I'm sorry this world was so unfair to you," she wrote. "I’m lucky I got to get to know you and love you."
Even royalty paid tribute to the young advocate. Princess Madeleine of Sweden wrote on Instagram, "Today we lost one of our brightest stars.”
In a statement provided to Oxygen.com, “Audrie & Daisy” directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk expressed that they are having a difficult time coping with Coleman’s loss.
“We knew Daisy to be open, honest, and irreverent in her work,” they stated. “We understand that even as Daisy helped those who suffer, she also suffered herself.”
They went on to say that Coleman would want her work to continue.
“Now, more than ever, we find it important to recognize and draw attention to all survivors and continue to fight on their behalf,” they stated.
They welcome people to make donations in Coleman’s names to organizations she loved. In addition to SafeBAE, they suggest Futures Without Violence and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.
