Jason Kirsinas celebrated his 21st birthday on April 26, 2004 by drinking to excess. He lapsed into a coma that night and died on April 29, 2004.
“This is just the thing you don’t want to hear in concern to alcohol,” Olin said. “He was one of those persons who just had too much in too short a period of time. I’m so afraid that young people aren’t grasping how dangerous that [alcohol] can be. Do all student’s even know that alcohol can kill you?”
Jason Kirsinas, a Cal State Long Beach student and President’s Scholar, died Thursday, three days after lapsing into a coma following a night of drinking on his 21st birthday.
======A gifted student, dedicated athlete, artist and a lifelong resident of Long Beach, Kirsinas was a junior business administration major at CSULB. According to Tracy Aldhous, a friend of the Kirsinas family, his life was cut short last Thursday when he died of complications from alcohol poisoning at Long Beach Community Hospital.
According to Rebecka Chiles, Kirsinas’ girlfriend, he and his friends had been at the Liquid Lounge at 3522 E. Anaheim St. in Long Beach, celebrating his birthday on April 26. Family members declined to discuss how much alcohol Kirsinas had in his system.
“We were having a good time,” said Steve Baranowki, a junior communications major CSULB, and a friend of Kirsinas. “Just hanging out and reminiscing.”
Later that night, after leaving the bar, Kirsinas’ friends began to notice that something was wrong. According to Chiles, he was acting disoriented, and was having trouble breathing. “I knew that something was wrong,” Chiles said. “He hardly knew who I was.”
His friends tried to perform CPR, and, when Kirsinas didn’t respond, took him to the emergency room at Long Beach Community Hospital. Last Thursday at 9:44 a.m., three days after being admitted to the hospital, Kirsinas was pronounced dead of alcohol poisoning.
According to his friends, Kirsinas was not normally a heavy drinker. “He was not a hardcore drinker,” Baranowski said. “He was just a normal college student.” According to Stan Olin, the housing director for CSULB, Kirsinas’ death highlights the dangers that go along with excessive alcohol use by students.
“This is just the thing you don’t want to hear in concern to alcohol,” Olin said. “He was one of those persons who just had too much in too short a period of time. I’m so afraid that young people aren’t grasping how dangerous that [alcohol] can be. Do all student’s even know that alcohol can kill you?”
Kirsinas’ friends remember him as an extremely friendly and outgoing individual who was always quick to make friends. “Jason was a very kind-hearted, loving guy, who was always looking out for other people,” said Baranowski. “He was one of those guys who would always be there when you needed him.” A former high school athlete who ran track at Wilson High School in Long Beach, Kirsinas was a fitness enthusiast who, according to friends, went to the gym every day at 2 in the afternoon.
“He was loving, supportive, successful and fun to be around,” said Chiles. “He had a smile that you couldn’t forget.” Friends also describe Kirsinas as being extremely artistic. He worked with his father making custom add-ons for houses, and in his spare time liked building skateboards. He also enjoyed working on his Volkswagen Beetle. “Whenever we rode in the car he would jam to his favorite songs,” Chiles said. “It was nice to see him so happy when he did that, and it would always make me laugh.”
There was also a strong reaction from the President’s Office, which worked with Kirsinas during his participation in the President’s Scholar program. President Robert Maxson visited Kirsinas in the hospital, and has prepared a statement to be read at his memorial. “He was a young person who had his whole life ahead of him,” said Armando Contreras, the executive assistant to the president. “In these times our hearts go out to his family and friends.”
There will be a memorial for Kirsinas Thursday at 3 p.m. at El Dorado East Regional Park in Long Beach. In lieu of flowers, the Kirsinas’ family is asking that donations be made in Jason’s name to Community Hospital of Long Beach.
In all cases, my deepest condolences to family and friends.
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2004
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2005
Underage Alcohol Deaths 2006
Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol
depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing,
the heartbeat and the gag reflex that prevents choking. A fatal dose of
alcohol will eventually stop these functions. After the victim stops
drinking, the heart keeps beating, and the alcohol in the stomach
continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the system.
The victim may experience the following:
- Mental confusion, stupor, coma, unable to rouse the person
- No response to pinching the skin
- Vomiting while sleeping or unresponsive
- Seizures
- Slowed breathing (fewer than 8 breaths per minute)
- Irregular breathing (10 seconds or more between breaths)
- Hypothermia (low body temperature), bluish skin color, paleness
Alcohol Poisoning Requires Immediate Medical Attention
Alcohol Poisoning Cannot Be Reversed By:
- Drinking black coffee
- Taking a cold bath or shower
- Walking it off
The victim must have immediate medical attention.
Call 911, stay with the victim to prevent him choking on vomit, and tell emergency personnel how much alcohol the victim drank.
These Children Died of Alcohol Overdose, So Their Parents Started Foundations:
Taylor Webster's memorial foundation. Taylor died of alcohol poisoning at age 19-- Now his family and friends are working to get the message out, telling their stories and providing information on alcohol poisoning and the signs and symtoms of alcohol poisoning in hopes that lives will be saved.
Bradley McCue's memorial foundation. On November 5, 1998 Bradley turned 21. . He celebrated his birthday in a way that has become increasingly popular, drinking "his age in shots". That amount of alcohol was lethal and he died that night of alcohol poisoning.
Samantha Spady's memorial foundation. A 19-year old student at Colorado State University, Spady died of alcohol poisoning on September 5, 2004, "an unintentional tragedy." The Spadys say the SAM [Student Alcohol Management] Spady Foundation will develop peer-to-peer counseling and other services meant to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse.
Gordie Bailey's memorial foundation Mission: to provide today’s youth with the skills to navigate the dangers of alcohol, and through education and promotion of self worth prevent alcohol poisoning, binge drinking and hazing.
Kimberly Ostien's memorial foundation: "With binge drinking on the rise, we feel it necessary to get the message out on the danger of alcohol, especially excessive alcohol consumed in a short period of time. Students are educated on drugs and alcohol but they will continue to experiment no matter what. We want to educate on what to do when a friend falls down or passes out from drinking. Often we want to put that person to bed to sleep it off and that is when the trouble can begin." The card lists the information, above.
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