Buckets Over Bullying is Bringing a Cyberbullying Memorial to NYC Sept. 12 with Support from NBA Legends
During National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, an installation of 100 pairs of empty basketball shoes will create a memorial artwork to honor young lives lost to the consequences of cyberbullying.
New York City — Sept. 8, 2026 — Buckets Over Bullying, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to combating cyberbullying through education, advocacy and legal action, is partnering with NBA Legends, basketball creator Tristan Jass and HoopBus to bring Nate’s Shoes Memorial to New York City on Saturday, Sept. 12th at 11 AM.
Created in honor of 15-year-old Nate Bronstein, who died by suicide after relentless cyberbullying by certain classmates and basketball teammates at the Latin School of Chicago, the memorial will be unveiled publicly for the first time. It will honor Nate and the thousands of children and teens lost to suicide after enduring bullying online or offline, restoring their voices while turning remembrance into a call for action and change.
The installation comes as evidence underscores the connection between cyberbullying and youth suicide. Nearly half of U.S. teens have experienced at least one form of cyberbullying, according to Pew Research Center, while suicide is the second-leading cause of death among Americans ages 10 to 24. CDC data shows the suicide rate among people ages 10 to 24 increased 62% between 2007 and 2021, from 6.8 to 11 deaths per 100,000.
Beginning at 11 a.m. at 260 Sixth Avenue at Houston Street, the one-day memorial will transform a New York City streetball court into a memorial artwork featuring 100 pairs of basketball shoes, including signed shoes donated by basketball legends and supporters Scottie Pippen, Derrick Rose, Tim Hardaway, Jeff Sanders and Tristan Jass.
The event will begin with a moment of silence, followed by remarks from Buckets Over Bullying co-founders Rose and Rob Bronstein about Nate’s story and the dangers of cyberbullying, and a prevention message from Tristan Jass. School-aged athletes will then join Tristan Jass and HoopBus athletes for 3-on-3 competitions, trick shots and a large-scale game of “Knockout,” with the opportunity to win basketball shoes signed by Derrick Rose. Participants will also be encouraged to amplify the #BlockTheBullies message on social media.
“Every pair of shoes represents a child who should still be here, including our son Nate,” said Rose Bronstein, co-founder of Buckets Over Bullying. “Cyberbullying does not stay behind a screen. The harm is real, and the consequences can be devastating and, in some cases, tragic. This public health crisis demands action from parents, schools, coaches, policymakers and social media platforms. By bringing Nate’s story and those of so many other children to New York, we are moving beyond awareness to action—recognizing when a child is in danger, intervening before the harm escalates and acting before it is too late.”
Rose and Rob Bronstein founded Buckets Over Bullying following Nate’s death in January 2022. Nate had reported the cyberbullying to the Dean at the Latin School of Chicago, but the school did not take appropriate measures to protect him and did not notify his parents of the cyberbullying report as required by Illinois law.
HoopBus, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses basketball to empower young people and strengthen communities, will bring its exhibition programming to the event, creating an interactive experience where attendees can play basketball, win prizes, watch live entertainment and step aboard the HoopBus.
The event will reinforce Buckets Over Bullying’s practical cyberbullying prevention framework: “Screenshot it. Block it. Report it.” The campaign encourages young people to preserve evidence of online harassment, block those targeting them, report the behavior to a parent or caregiver and the platform, and notify their school.
Later that day at 2 p.m., Buckets Over Bullying will continue its New York outreach by participating for the second year in the 4th Annual AAU 3-on-3 Times Square Takeover. With basketball courts stretching across Broadway and thousands of young AAU athletes and fans gathering in Times Square, the organization will bring its “Screenshot it. Block it. Report it.” message directly to young athletes and families.
Together, the events are part of Buckets Over Bullying’s ongoing effort to harness basketball, athletes and social media creators to reach young people, raise awareness of the consequences of cyberbullying and encourage responsible digital citizenship.
For more information, visit bucketsoverbullying.org.
About Buckets Over Bullying
Buckets Over Bullying is a nonprofit initiative of The Bronstein Family Foundation whose mission is to eliminate cyberbullying of children and teens. The sports-centric initiative was created following the death of Nate Bronstein, a 15-year-old Chicago student who died by suicide on Jan. 13, 2022, after relentless cyberbullying by certain classmates and basketball teammates at the Latin School of Chicago through a group chat, Snapchat posts and a separate Snapchat message cruelly directing Nate to kill himself.
Nate reported the group chat and Snapchat posts to the school, but the school did not take appropriate measures to protect him or notify his parents of the cyberbullying report as required by Illinois law.
Through education, advocacy and legal action, Buckets Over Bullying seeks to prevent what happened to Nate and countless others, encourage responsible digital citizenship and advocate for accountability for cyberbullies and those who enable them.
Visit bucketsoverbullying.org and follow Buckets Over Bullying on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
About Tristan Jass
Tristan Jass, known to millions online as “T Jass,” is a Kenosha, Wisconsin-born basketball trick-shot artist, social media star and founding board member of Buckets Over Bullying. He has used his platform to support the organization’s Trick Shot Challenge, which raised awareness and donations for cyber-safety education in schools; its “Full Court March” campaign with Resorts World Las Vegas during the NCAA tournaments; and a back-to-school anti-cyberbullying event with Chicago Public Schools students at Oz Park. Having experienced online negativity firsthand through his social media career, Jass uses basketball and his platform to help protect young people from bullying.
About HoopBus
HoopBus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses the universal language of basketball to transform lives, build bridges and uplift communities. Traveling from local neighborhoods to cities around the world, HoopBus creates basketball experiences designed to inspire connection, hope and possibility. At Nate’s Shoes Memorial, HoopBus will provide interactive basketball programming, prizes and live entertainment while welcoming attendees aboard the HoopBus.
About AAU Basketball
Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Basketball’s mission is to provide young athletes with opportunities to compete, develop their skills and grow through the game of basketball. As part of one of the nation’s largest amateur sports organizations, AAU Basketball emphasizes sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership and personal development while creating competitive opportunities for players of all ages and ability levels across the country.