MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Larry and Sheila Pott remember the day seven years ago when their 15-year-old daughter, Audrie, died.
Audrie was raped at a party and then bullied online.
She took her own life eight days after the party.
“Those first few months, years, the mantra was ‘just keep breathing,’” Larry Pott said.
Audrie's parents and her stepmother, Lisa, have since set up the Audrie Pott Foundation.
They travel around the country sharing Audrie's story.
“Teens are appreciative that we’re talking about it and we’re trying to give them a platform to feel comfortable coming forward and sharing their stories, knowing they’re being supported," Sheila Pott said.
“We decided that Audrie had lost her voice and this would be an opportunity to let her speak. We didn’t want her life or death to be in vain,” Larry Pott said.
Southside Survivor Response Center Executive Director Warren Rodgers said Patrick County High School asked the center to bring the family to the school.
That was set up along with Monday night’s presentation at the New College Institute.
“There have been similar presentations (locally) surrounding sexual assault, but I’m not aware of ones that combine the sexual assault with cyber bullying and suicide prevention,” Rodgers said.
He hopes the presentations by Audrie’s parents will reach a bigger audience than the center could on its own.
“Having the family come here and spread the message really, I think, is more impactful and hopefully more people will be interested," Rodgers said.
Audrie's parents and her stepmother, Lisa, will be at Patrick County High School Tuesday.
To learn more about Audrie and the Audrie Pott Foundation, click here.