On a chilly February night, Sarah Thompson received the heart-wrenching news that no parent should ever have to hear: her 19-year-old son, Michael, was dead. Michael, a pledge at the Delta Kappa fraternity at State University, had taken part in a hazing event that involved excessive drinking the night before. Surveillance footage from the fraternity revealed that not only were underage drinking and reckless behavior rampant, but also that his fraternity brothers displayed a shocking indifference toward Michael, who was clearly intoxicated.
After enduring a night of drinking games, Michael tragically fell down a flight of stairs in the fraternity house. Footage showed fraternity brothers dragging him upstairs and leaving him on a couch, where he remained for 12 hours—ignored and without any medical assistance until it was far too late. Instead of seeking help, those present chose to slap him, punch him, and even attempted to prevent him from rolling over by placing books on his chest. This is a horrifying reality that no parent ever wants to confront.
The timeline of events, as reported in various sources, is gut-wrenching. Michael received his first drink just after 9 p.m. and was visibly impaired within an hour and a half. He suffered injuries from both the fall and alcohol poisoning, yet for an agonizing 12 hours, he was left to drift deeper into a coma. The call to emergency services came far too late—12 hours too late. Tragically, Michael passed away from complications related to this ordeal, leading to manslaughter charges against several fraternity members.
As I absorbed this story, I couldn’t fathom how a group of young men could neglect the well-being of a friend in such dire circumstances. Was it simply peer pressure? Was it the culture of the fraternity? Another college student lost his life, a casualty of reckless choices and alcohol abuse. These tales seem to surface all too frequently, leaving us to wonder if we are doing enough to educate our children about alcohol and instilling values of compassion and responsibility.
As a parent of a 14-year-old son who is soon to navigate high school, I feel a growing urgency to prepare him for the inevitable encounters with alcohol in college. I have spent years teaching him the importance of making sound choices and being a good friend. But when he eventually moves into a dorm, what will happen if he faces a similar situation? Will he be the one to call for help? The thought of a tragedy like Michael’s is terrifying.
It is imperative that we, as parents, educate our teens about the dangers of alcohol consumption and equip them with the skills to recognize when a friend is in trouble. While it’s easy to point fingers at universities, fraternities, or even the legal system, that won’t alter the past or prevent future tragedies. Being outraged after the fact solves nothing.
To effectively address these issues, we must start conversations about alcohol early—ideally, before our kids reach high school. Resources like Talk Early and Often and Responsibility.org emphasize the importance of having open dialogues. Discuss your own experiences with alcohol, share news stories about alcohol-related incidents, and help your child download a rideshare app, assuring them you’ll cover the cost if needed.
Share your college memories (no need to reveal every embarrassing detail) because your experiences serve as valuable lessons for them. Most importantly, discuss incidents like Michael’s and role-play scenarios where they might have to take action if a friend is in distress. After these conversations, listen actively to their thoughts and feelings about peer pressure and partying.
Communication is key. Talk, listen, and repeat, because there are parents out there who wish they could have just one more conversation with their child.
In summary, preparing our teens to handle alcohol responsibly starts with early and ongoing discussions. By engaging them in conversations about the realities of drinking and equipping them with knowledge and strategies, we can help prevent tragic outcomes like Michael’s.
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