"Anytime you say or write anything negative about someone, you are bullying them," he said. "It destroys your peers; it destroys adults, too."

Bullying also leaves a hole in the family left to mourn Weishuhn's loss, Peterson said.

Even in sadness, he said, those who knew Weishuhn should cherish their memories of him, and he reminded the mourners of the traits that had made the teen popular among family and friends.

"He was a young man born to be someone; he was awesome," Peterson said. "He enjoyed shopping, shoes and friends. He was a respectful person, and he liked pink and orange."

Weishuhn's sister, Kayla Weishuhn, the only family member to speak during the service, read the poem "If Tomorrow Starts Without Me."

During the reading and throughout the service, family members and friends cried, wiped away tears and hugged each other for support. Some wailed as Weishuhn's casket was wheeled out of the church for burial.

As the service wrapped up, Peterson urged those in attendance to seek help if they ever feel as desolate and hopeless as Weishuhn must have, rather than end their life in an effort to end the pain.