• Hazing Deaths Database:
  • Blog
  • Storytelling
  • Bio
  • High School Sexual Hazing Incidents
  • Campus Speaker: Hazing & Binge Drinking
  • Hank Nuwer: selected media coverage
  • World Hazing Incidents
  • “Hazing,” “Sons of the Dawn,” “Legend of Jesse Owens”

Hank Nuwer's Hazing Scholarship Site

Follow me on Social Media

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Debbie Smith posting on water intoxication deaths following radio “contest”

January 20, 2007 By Hank Nuwer Leave a Comment

Good Morning Everyone

In the wake of the senseless death of Jennifer Strange, a name I hope is not soon forgotten; the doors have opened, once again through the media, to bring awareness to the horrors of water intoxication, hazing, and Matt’s Law. This is the last thing we wanted to happen. The reason we have worked so hard was to prevent this from happening again, yet here it is in our own backyard no less.

This is a heartbreaking story of a family that must go on without their loved one, and for what? Because some people made light of a situation that has been in the news for the past 2 years. They knew better but went ahead and did it anyway. We have to do our best to educate those that don’t know, so that they won’t be at risk by those who just don’t care.

As news reporters, in and out of the area, are contacting me, they are not only asking about water intoxication but Matt’s Law as well. All the networks have been running stories about what happened to Matt and his law when talking about Jennifer.

Court TV will be running a segment about Matt’s Law and water intoxication tonight on the Catherine Crier Live Show (check your local listings for times and channels, it’s on from 5 to 6pm in most areas). I hope you will be able to tune in, but more importantly tell others, those that may need to be educated. I will be there with the fabulous Alex Grab, who wrote Matt’s Law for us, and our wonderful Senator Torlakson who sponsored it.

As human beings, I believe we are morally obligated to share our experiences, knowledge, and lessons learned in life with others, no matter how difficult, so that they can make safe informed decisions in their lives. We need to take every opportunity given us to share what we know with others. I hope when the time arises that you are all able to do this as well, don’t be afraid to speak up, your words could quite possibly save a life.

After Matt’s Law was signed, someone approached me from the Every 15 Minutes program about telling Matt’s story. I think this is an incredible opportunity because in telling Matt’s story, our young people can learn three valuable lessons. They can learn about hazing, water intoxication, and Matt’s Law. Another place I think would be great to start educating our young children about water intoxication is the DARE program, that is already implemented in our elementary schools. What better time to teach our children the dangers of excess water then when they are learning about other dangers in life. Every 15 Minutes – Someone dies from an Alcohol Related Collision

Out of concern, many of you have asked what we are doing on February 2nd. After work on Thursday, February 1st, Greg and I are going up to Chico to be where Matt spent his last night alive and early the morning of the 2nd we are going to lay flowers and light candles in Matt’s memory at the house where he took his last breathe. We are coming home on the 2nd to be with Travis and having Matt’s friends over for dinner. We will fill the house inside and out with candles in Matt’s memory. Feel free to bring a candle by that night if you’d like.

“Hug your children and tell them you love them everyday.”

Love,
Debbie, MM
www.wemissyoumatt.com

Filed Under: Hazing News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contact Inquiries

Hank Nuwer

Correspondence: Hank Nuwer at Hnuwer@hanknuwer.com   Phone number upon request.  Available presentations USA, … Email to book a date.

Sons of the Dawn

Sons of the Dawn: A Basque Odyssey: Hank's novel is for teens 11-18 but also meant to be enjoyed by … Read More

Hazing Deaths Database:

… Read More

Suicide allegedly tied to hazing at Nebraska-Lincoln

Here is the link. Rahat Jalil, UNL Lambda Phi Epsilon

Thank you, AFA

New scholarship from Brazil: Hazing at the university and gender violence: a literature integrative review

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7213/psicolargum.39.103.AO02 Trotes na universidade e violência de gênero: uma revisão integrativa de literatura Hazing at the university and gender violence: a literature integrative review   Novatadas en la universidad y violencia de género: una revisión integradora de la literatura Adriane Roso https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7471-133X Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), adriane.roso@ufsm.br Janine Gudolle de Souza https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6477-4190 […]

A Poland-Union City Love story.

Here is the link. Hank   My wife Gosia earned her Green Card in October 2019. She gave eight-weeks’ notice at her chief accountant job in Poland and shipped what she could to Indiana. “Wait, how did a fellow from Indiana meet a Polish lass,” you may ask? I persuaded Gosia in June of 2015 […]

Archives


Hank Nuwer's Hazing Scholarship Site is proudly powered by WordPress