I Speak of Dreams

John Gunter, 17, Alcohol Poisoning

On April 25, 2008, Mr. Gunter and a friend, Billy Moon, told their parents that they were going to an ice-skating rink.  Instead, they went to a home in White County, Georgia. 

Police were summoned to the home early on April 26.  Mr. Gunter was transported to the hospital, while Mr. Moon was released to his parents. At the hospital, Mr. Gunter was put into a medically-induced coma.  He died of the consequences of alcohol poisoning on Thursday, May 1, 2008.

An adult, William Maxton Midgett, 22, has been charged with providing alcohol to minors.  My deep condolences to Mr. Gunter's family and friends.

In 2007, at least thirty-one young people  died of alcohol toxicity (alcohol poisoning, alcohol overdose).

"There's no place  that's actually keeping data on alcohol deaths"--Thomas Kunstman MD.

In an article called Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24: changes from 1998 to 2001, by Hingson R, Heeren T, Winter M, Wechsler H. in Annual Review of Public Health. 2005, 26:259-279, the authors used statistical methods:

Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of all youth that are alcohol related:
1998         2001 
  991         1151

Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of college students that are alcohol related:
1998         2001 
  327           368

Kassi Leatherman, 19, Saved from Death by Alcohol Poisoning. But Wait--Her Mother Bought The Booze

Kassie's mother,        Karen Simpson Leatherman, is accused of supplying her daughter's party with 40 six-backs of beer and 5 "bottles of vodka". 

Ms. Leatherman was found in front of her parent's home, near death from alcohol poisoning.  Fortunately, she survived.  There were over forty other underaged teens at the party.

       Karen Simpson Leatherman, 47, was charged with 15 counts of providing        alcohol to minors.

Jesse Drews, 21, Alcohol Poisoning

Jesse Drews turned 21 on March 24.  Starting just after midnight, he celebrated at a bar in Waupun, Wisconsin, evidently engaging in "power hour" or "21 for 21".   Several hours later, he was found unresponsive on a couch in his home.

His mother, quoted in the New York Times:

“I never in a million years thought we would be in this situation,'’ Mrs. Drews said. “Kids have to know about this risk. I hope anybody who goes into a bar and sees this happening will say something.'’

My deepest condolences to Mr. Drews' family and friends.

 

Chaz Lightner, 17, Alcohol Poisoning

On February 10, 2008, a number of people under twenty-one gathered at the home owned by  Archie and Sabrina Stevey, in Moundsville, Marshall County, West Virginia.  Mr. and Mrs. Stevey were not at home at the beginning of the party.

Sometime during the event, Mr. Lightener consumed a considerable amount of hard liquor 'through a “beer bong” funnel'.

The senior Steveys returned home while the teen  party was still underway, and were evidently aware that the teens were consuming alcohol.  However, they took no action to inform the teens' parents, or restrict the teens' access to alcohol, but instead  "then went to bed, while knowing the children in the home, including Lightner, were drinking."

It appears that Lightener died during the night.  It is alleged that Mr. Stevey, upon "discovering Lightner’s body early the next morning, ordered the children involved to clean up all evidence of alcohol in the home, which they did before he called the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department."

My condolences to Mr. Lightner's  family and friends.

Joe Viereck, 17, Alcohol-Related Death

Mr. Viereck was a junior at O'Gorman High School, in Sioux Falls, SD. Over the Presidents' Day Weekend, he went to Arizona with two friends, chaperoned by the parents of one of the boys.  The boys flew home ahead of the chaperones with a connection in Minneapolis;  a missed flight caused the boys to spend the night at a motel near the airport.  The boys were joined by  two students from nearby St. Benedict College. The group began to drink by the motel's indoor pool, and then four of the five went up to the room,  leaving Viereck alone by the pool.  A motel employee spotted Viereck at the bottom of the pool shortly after 1:00 am.  He was unable to be revived.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Brian W. Threet, 20, Alcohol Overdose

Mr. Threet went back to the St. Cloud State campus before classes resumed in January, to enjoy "New Years' Week" with his friends, partying.   On January 4th, his brother Joshua reports:

"He was partying all night, and they found him in his bed," Joshua Threet said. "It was his roommate who found him" at about 4 p.m. on Saturday.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Underage Alcohol Deaths, 2007

In 2004, at least nineteen people of college age  died of alcohol toxicity (alcohol poisoning, alcohol overdose).

"There's no place  that's actually keeping data on alcohol deaths"--Thomas Kunstman MD.

In an article called Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18–24: changes from 1998 to 2001, by Hingson R, Heeren T, Winter M, Wechsler H. in Annual Review of Public Health. 2005, 26:259-279, the authors used statistical methods:

Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of all youth that are alcohol related:
1998         2001 
  991         1151

Estimated number of nontraffic injury deaths of college students that are alcohol related:
1998         2001 
  327           368

Alcohol Overdose Deaths on Campus or Those Under Age
[decedent's name with link], [age], [DoD], [university] [BAC]

The following list is generated by news reports listing cause of death as alcohol related.  I am sure there are more.

In all cases, my deepest condolences to family and friends.

1. Daniel Gjertson, 21, January 1 2007, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, BAC 0.44
2. Samantha Lynn Scheuring ,16, January 16, 2007, Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, BAC 0.44
3. Alexis E. Garcia, 15, February 2, 2007, Easthampton High School, Massachusetts, BAC 0.31
4. Allen Dale "Boo" Bratton,  12, February 16,  2007,  Mishawaka, Indiana, BAC 0.20
5. Karl Fazil, 21, February 13, 2007, Wittenberg University, BAC unknown
6. Robert Patton, 14, February 17 2007, Terre Haute, Indiana, BAC unknown
7. Sid Skibinski-Gonzales, 19, March 3, 2007, Modesto, CA, BAC unknown
8. Jessica Murphy, 18, March 4, 2007, Monett, MO, BAC 4.06
9. Joe Hunter, 17, March 2007, Coalville, Utah, BAC unknown
10. Gary Devercelly, 18, March 29, 2007, Rider University, BAC 0.426
11. Kayla Davis, 17 , April 13, 2007, Delaware County, OK, BAC unknown
12. Stephanie Huffer Kay, 21, April 14 , 2007, North Carolina State University, BAC unknown.
13. Galen Harig-Blaine, 18, April 22, 2007, Broadneck High School, Annapolis MD,  BAC 0.30
14. Clayton Wayne Lawson, 16, April 27, 2007, BAC unknown
15. Leland Martin, 18, April 29, 2007, Winder-Barrow High School, Winder, GA, BAC unknown
16. Jordan Crist, 19, May 2, 2007, Southern Methodist University, BAC 0.40
17. Joshua Harrington, 20, May 4, 2007, Wausau, WI, BAC 0.54
18. Julian Cecil Ortiz, 19, June 7, 2007, McMinneville, OR, BAC 0.43
19. Brandon Booker, 17, June 24, 2007, LaSalle, IL, BAC 0.22
20. Monica Gastelum, 17, June 27 2005, AR, BAC 0.455
21. Jordan Shirey, 21, September 13, Bowling Green State University,  BAC unknown
22. Cory Dewayne Tucker, 16, September 23, 2007, Ringgold, GA, BAC unknown
23. Nik Gallegos, 18, October 6 2007, Stephen F. Austin University, Nagadoches, TX, BAC unknown
    
24. Dakota Johnson, 16, October 7 2007 , Elgin High School, Elgin OK BAC unknown
25. Amanda Jax, 21, October 29 2007, Minnesota State University Mankato, MN, BAC 0.46
26. Hershell Edward Privett, jr, 18, November 9 2007, Chattanooga, TN, BAC unknown.
27. Adam Beggs, November 17 2007, Auburn,  ME  BAC Unknown
28. Adam Baxter, 18, November 23 2007, Augusta ME, BAC unknown.
29. Pat Mason, 21, November 30 2007, Santa Cruz, CA, BAC unknown
30. Benjamin Garrison Sprague, 18, December 9, 2007, Clemson University, BAC 0.379
31. Jenna Foellmi, 20, Winona State University, December 13, 2007, MN, BAC "incompatible with life".
32. Julia Gonzalez, 16, Turlock, CA, December 28, 20007, BAC 0.52

A young man in Minnesota:

After he watched an ambulance crew carry away a girl he knew earlier this year, he said, he wished he'd had another message dunned into him. If someone you know is breathing irregularly or passes out -- whether the reason appears to be too much drinking, or anything else -- call 911. Don't delay. Don't worry about getting him or her -- or yourself -- into trouble. Don't assume that "sleeping it off" is all that the situation requires.

Jenna Foellmi, 20, Alcohol Poisoning

Ms. Foellmi was a sophomore at Winona State University.  After finals were over on Thursday,  December 13, 2007, she celebrated the end of a tough term by drinking alcohol, attending several parties.  She evidently spent the night at a friend's apartment, and was found unresponsive early the morning of the 14th.

My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Benjamin Garrison Sprague, 18, Alcohol Poisoning

Benjamin Garrison Sprague, a freshman at Clemson University,  joined the Theta Zeta chapter of Sigma Nu fraternity this fall, joining his older brother as a member of the fraternity.  Mr. Sprague attended   a party at the fraternity, which is located off-campus,  the night of Saturday, December 8, 2007.

He was alive early Sunday morning, but was unresponsive when he was found about 7:30 a.m., when emergency services were summoned.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends. 

Pat Mason, 21, Alcohol Overdose

Pat Mason turned 21 on November 30, 2007.  He celebrated his birthday by going bar-to-bar after midnight, drinking shots.

He was found dead the next morning.

My condolences to friends and family.