Lorenzo Buffa, a TikTok star with more than 1.2 million followers, has tragically ended his life, leaving behind a poignant and widely circulated note where he detailed the abuse he suffered at the hands of his former partner, Ryan St Pierre. Buffa’s note was scheduled to post on Sunday, after his death, and quickly went viral, shedding light on his personal torment.
In his final message, Buffa accused St Pierre of subjecting him to years of psychological abuse, describing his experience as akin to Stockholm Syndrome. He claimed that his isolation and manipulation by St Pierre left him feeling trapped and without hope. Buffa wrote, “I’m sorry everyone. A few know they could have shown me love but refused and after awhile I was only left with a monster, who had broken me down over 5 years and I was trapped with Stockholm syndrome feeding on the morsels of hope and love for which were rare and taken away and then punishment came.”
He further elaborated on the nature of the abuse, stating, “He isolated me, broke me, and lied to me about everything.” Buffa lamented the lack of support from those who knew of his plight, mentioning that his pleas for help were ignored, which led to his withdrawal from seeking further assistance. “Those that knew where I spoke my silence out loud, the few who most could have helped me who knew how severe, you turned your back, so I stopped reaching out to anyone,” he noted.
Buffa’s note ends with an apology for his choice, emphasizing his inherent capacity for love which was met with what he described as “evil, gaslighting, psychological torture and more” from Ryan St Pierre, whom he explicitly named from Buffalo. This public disclosure has sparked significant discussion online, with many expressing sorrow over Buffa’s suffering and the failure of the community to intervene.
This tragic event underscores the serious implications of mental health, abuse, and the responsibility of communities to support those in distress.