CNN displayed a complete lack of principle and violated Ren's journey along with his messages and masterfully crafted vision and representation of healing, to suit the "Anti-TikTok" narrative. ONCE AGAIN someone has failed Ren. ONCE AGAIN, he is being misdiagnosed because they neglected to investigate the ENTIRE picture before drawing conclusions.

CNN aired a story titled "CNN Takes Over 14-year-old’s TikTok Account.” Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G628p9vCuGs  CNN's story contains roughly 2.5 seconds, from Ren's 9Min:20SEC song "Hi, Ren". While Ren's face and music is at the forefront of the conversation the speaker proceeds to misrepresent and mutilate the message and lyrics while suggesting/implying to viewers, Hi Ren influences and/or promotes suicide. In my opinion, the clip shone in the story I believe to have derived from the 2 Min video posted on 16 Dec 2022 and was pinned on Ren's TikTok, meaning for the sake of CNN's story the first 1Min:08Secs had to have been viewed or skipped first. (again, my perception/opinion).

"Hi Ren" is a conversation with inner demons/illness brought on at the age of 17 all while fighting his crippling disease, unfathomable pain, confusion, and depression. Anyone with compassion can see this for what it is. Ren’s song is a visual release of misery through the universal language of music.  The video for Hi, Ren is a live performance clearly sharing years filled with agony that damn near killed him. I challenge CNN to take a view of timestamp 6Min:39Sec, a break in character for but a moment, yet magnitude of what it took for Ren to continue this raw performance and while being filmed to share this part of his past is heart-wrenching and awe-inspiring. Ren’s courage and strength knows no bounds which is evident as anyone can see, this was not easy and must have taken every ounce of strength to put this on display, regardless of his own PTSD, torment, and fears. He allowed himself to be taken to back to the darkest corners of hell he was forced to endure for over 10 years for the sake of others who may also be suffering.He continues to share messages of Hope and light at the end of the tunnel, for many people for myself.  Ren is our beacon who shines the most beautiful light source, himself, upon the darkness of the shadows in life. Hi Ren, is connecting thousands worldwide by bringing awareness to global need for conversation and community within our broken and beaten world, struggling with mental, physical, chronic, and terminal illness.

At the peak of Ren’s journey, he posted a vlog describing the excruciating illness he was dealing with. He poured his heart out calling out for help, he wanted to live, and he wanted to find hope (https://youtu.be/jaltehH_cNo   That video very well may have saved his life.  That video managed to reach Dr.’s around the world and after a decade  it led him to a turning point.   My question to those reading this,  What if CNN had flipped that video and turned it to something it wasn’t?  What if they had flagged or blocked his call for help? 

 

Imagine for a second, living through his nightmare. Imagine what must feel like and how he must cope with revisiting that part of himself 1000 times a day something he himself has said is not easy for him, but he finds enough strength to do it anyway because maybe, just maybe it helps save 1 life or gives 1 person the strength to fight a little longer. This is all public knowledge and something any journalist with the bare minimum qualifications or desire to include facts, truth or ethics would has ability to access in less than 1Min. I am not a reporter, a writer or a content creator yet, I identified, documented, included references, verified, wrote this piece and posted in less than 1 hour. For the sake of context/reference in the event CNN needs assistance with fact finding, Ren's medical journey can be found (www.gofundme.com/f/ren-get-better-from-lyme-disease-and-autoimmunity

 

Hi Ren, has been bringing HOPE & COMFORT to 100000's every day since its release on 15 Dec 2022. Currently the video has just under 11M views on Ren's YouTube channel https://youtube.com/@renmakesmusic Scrolling through the 32+ thousand comments, it is abundantly clear the video and lyrics have provided comfort and support to people ranging from 15 to 75 yrs. old. Additionally, there are 1000's of "reaction" videos on YouTube and TikTok, again with thousands upon thousands of "Thank you Ren", "This song helps", "This song stopped me from a bad decision,". Ren is the embodiment of all things good in this life and an affirmation that those suffering, longing to be loved, happy, healthy can escape even dark corners of hell regardless of CNN's report to the contrary and despite the million ways social media, culture, government, journalism, medical health care and psychiatry have failed us.

Please join me by signing and sharing the petition to get Ren the apology he deserves. He has been through enough and unjust, revolting abuse towards Hi Ren & Ren is sickening.

Thank you all for your time,

LisaMarie

All above statements are my own interpretations, feelings and opinions of the above CNN story and are not stated as fact.