Jaxton Wheeler, the gay male adult film star who was accused of cyberbullying August Ames, offered his condolences to her family and doesn’t think his actions played a role in Ames’ decision to take her own life.
Ames was cyberbullied after she wrote on social media that she would not appear in adult films with male performers who also made gay pornography. Wheeler was among the people who attacked her, telling her the world is “awaiting your apology or for you to swallow a cyanide pill.”
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The 23-year-old Ames was found dead on Dec. 5. Wheeler was criticized and turned his Twitter profile private.
According to The Blast, Wheeler spoke to the adult film site TheSword.com, where he said his comments have “inappropriately been attributed as the reason August chose to take her life.”
“My heart goes out to her friends and loved ones, and to all affected by this,” Wheeler said. “Hopefully, this allows us to reflect on the choices we make on social media. It may be anonymous, but real harm can be done.”
Wheeler told TheSword.com that he is “pleading with people on both sides to put to an end to the verbal abuse and threats made so freely every day, and in particular, those directed at me right now. This serves neither her memory or any of others we have lost this year.”
Ames’ suicide note reportedly did not include mentions of the cyberbullying she faced in the days before her death. She did apologize to her family for taking her own life.
In a podcast interview three months before her death, Ames said she was sexually molested as a child and abused drugs and alcohol. Ames said she stopped drinking and using drugs before her death.
Photo credit: Instagram / @August Ames
