Hank Nuwer, Author; Hazing Deaths Database

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Draft below:

January 14, 2009

STATEMENT FROM BRIAN KOWIAK AND LIANNE KOWIAK, PARENTS OF HARRISON KOWIAK

Theta Chi, its members, and Lenoir Rhyne University should take no solace in the fact that the District Attorney elected not to file criminal charges in this case.  We have conducted our own independent investigation in advance of a civil action, and the true facts of this hazing incident will be revealed at the appropriate time.

The Kowiak family has suffered an unimaginable loss.  Harrison Kowiak was a loving son and brother who touched the lives of many people with his optimistic spirit and zest for life. He was a gifted athlete and an academic scholar who was driven to master any task. On the night of November 17, 2008, the brothers of Theta Chi Fraternity at Lenoir Rhyne University orchestrated a Hell-Week initiation ceremony to haze Harrison.

As a result of the negligence and carelessness of Theta Chi, its members and Lenoir Rhyne University, Harrison Kowiak lost his life after suffering a catastrophic brain injury during the hazing event. Theta Chi and Lenoir Rhyne University irresponsibly encouraged and allowed Hell-Week and hazing activities to take place.  Even more appalling is that, after a life was senselessly lost as a result of hazing, Theta Chi and Lenoir Rhyne University have failed to take any affirmative steps to punish or sanction the members of Theta Chi for their actions.

A young man lost his life and the law will not allow the university and fraternity to turn a blind eye to this tragedy. The Kowiak family is committed to making sure that hazing activities cease and that no family is forced to undergo heartbreak like this in the future. This incident proves that fraternity hazing is deadly. Hazing must be stopped and those who condone these dangerous activities will be held accountable for their actions.

January 14, 2009
Family believes their son was the victim of a fatal fraternity hazing

TAMPA — The family of a young Tampa man who died following fraternity activities in North Carolina last fall intend to file legal action against his college, his fraternity, and his fraternity brothers, citing “hazing” as the reason for the boy’s death.

Harrison Kowiak, 19, a standout golfer from Wharton High School, died after he hit the ground the night of Nov. 17, while engaged in a pledge week activity in the middle of a dark pasture off-campus, police said. A freshman at Lenoir-Rhyne University, a small liberal arts school in Hickory, NC, Kowiak was hoping to join the Theta Chi fraternity.

Eric Farr of the District Attorney’s office in Newton, NC, released a statement this week saying prosecutors found “no basis for criminal charges” in the death following an investigation by the Catawba Sheriff’s Department.

But an attorney for Kowiak’s family said this afternoon they believe hazing is to blame. Miami attorney Justin Leto of the law firm Alan Goldfarb, PA, issued this statement today on behalf of the family:

“Theta Chi, its members and Lenoir Rhyne University should take no solace in the fact that the District Attorney elected not to file criminal charges in this case,” the statement says. “We have conducted our own independent investigation in advance of a civil action, and the true facts of this hazing incident will be revealed at the appropriate time.”

To read the complete statement, click here.

After the accident, the fraternity brothers took Kowiak to Frye Medical Center. Next, he was airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

In an interview this afternoon, Leto said the family believes Kowiak was one of two pledges led to the field dressed in light colored clothes.

They were given the task to go from one point to another, but along the way the brothers, dressed in dark clothes, presented obstacles to the pledges, Leto said.

“There was physical contact,” he said. “They were pushed, they were tackled.”

Kowiak was being tackled when he fell to the ground and suffered a traumatic blow to his head, Leto said.

At the time, Catawba Sheriff’s Office said they didn’t believe the activities to be considered “hazing.” But Leto said the boys of the fraternity gave conflicting accounts of what actually happened.

“Even more appalling is that, after a life was senselessly lost as a result of hazing,” the family’s statement says, “Theta Chi and Lenoir Rhyne University have failed to take any affirmative steps to punish or sanction the members of Theta Chi for their actions.”

Dale Taylor, executive director of the fraternity, could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

Rebecca Catalanello, Times staff writer

Media General News Service

Published: January 14, 2009

Harrison Kowiak

Hickory, NC – The Catawba County District Attorney’s Office has found no basis for criminal charges surrounding the death of a Lenoir-Rhyne University student from Tampa in November.

Harrison Kowiak, 19, died Nov. 18 as a result of a severe blow to the head during an off-campus game of capture the flag during fraternity pledge week, according to a Catawba County Sheriff’s Office investigation. Kowiak was a former Wharton High boys golfer.

“The results of that investigation were submitted to the District Attorney’s Office. After a full review of the investigative report and the events surrounding the death of Kowiak, the District Attorney’s Office finds that there is no basis for criminal charges related to his death,” according to a press release from the District Attorney’s Office.

The District Attorney’s Office was contacted Nov. 19 regarding the death of Kowiak, a sophomore at Lenoir-Rhyne University, by the sheriff’s office.

At the time, Sheriff David Huffman said Kowiak’s injury appeared to be accidental and did not involve foul play.

Kowiak’s mother, Lianne, spoke at her son’s memorial service. A standing-room-only crowd packed the sanctuary.

“Be safe,” Lianne Kowiak told friends, students and faculty that gathered. “Live your life to the fullest as Harrison did.”

Harrison Kowiak grew up in New Jersey and loved the New York Yankees and Knicks, she said. He enjoyed snowboarding and skateboarding but found his calling playing golf. The small, private Lutheran college in Hickory recruited Kowiak to be a member on the university’s golf team.

Kowiak played piano and was teaching himself how to play guitar, his mother said at the service. He loved to travel and became the family photographer when he, his parents and sister went on trips to New York and Asia.

Lianne Kowiak said the family is donating his blue Volvo to the college’s golf team so students without cars can have transportation. Her son was also an organ donor and his kidneys, lungs, liver, pancreas and heart will be given to those who need them, she said.

His father, Brian, said he admired his son’s focus, determination and competitive drive.

“He opened up the world to me and I’m thankful for that,” Brian Kowiak said.

Kowiak’s golf teammate, Ty Dannenbring, said his friend “is in heaven and I’m sure he’s having an awesome time.”

Classes were suspended while the memorial service was held from 10 a.m. to noon, university spokesman Mike Langford said.

“It was a celebration of Harrison’s life and his time here with us,” Langford said. The college has about 1,600 students and Kowiak’s death shocked the tight-knit campus, he said.

When the service ended, students comforted each other outside of the red brick church, amid the fallen autumn leaves.

Tyler Cornack, a high school classmate of Kowiak’s, said he remembers his friend as a positive person who always had a smile on his face.

“He was genuine,” Cornack, 20, said. “He meant well. Every day. And that’s a rare thing.”

Cornack and Kowiak became friends when they both took a television production class at Wharton High School in New Tampa. The two would produce comedy videos for class projects, Cornack said.

News of Kowiak’s death left him shaken, Cornack said.

“It was just a freak accident,” he said. “It’s a tragedy.”

Mackenzie Parker lived in the same dorm with Kowiak at Lenoir-Rhyne last year and remembers his “beautiful smile.”

“He was such a good person,” said Parker, 19. “We need more people like him in the world. He had such an impact on everyone.”

The accident happened Nov. 17 around 11 p.m. in a pasture along N.C. 127 South, commonly known as Buffalo Farm, according to investigators. Between 17 and 20 members of the Theta Chi fraternity gathered at the private and gated field in southern Catawba County near Greedy Highway.

While playing capture the flag, Kowiak suffered a severe blow to the head, but witnesses were unable to explain the specifics of how the injury happened, authorities said.

Kowiak remained conscious after his injury but witnesses reported he was not making sense and lost some motor control.

Rather than calling 911, the students drove Kowiak to Frye Regional Medical Center, where he was treated before being flown to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. He later died.

Commentary link

I commend you on your work opposing “Hazings”.  Upon reading of your recent award and recognition for your work, I flashed back to 1954, fifty-five years ago, when I had to undergo initiation for my freshman year in college.

One piece stands out decidedly. Girls had to wear their skirts upside down, with waistbands about the knees, the fullness of the pleated skirt pinned at the waist. While it was difficult to walk with this encumbrance, it was nigh on impossible to board a bus or climb stairs. Several reported falling, I among them.  My twenty-four inch waist around my knees allowed very little movement.

Add to this, all the girls being initiated had to wear their hair in rollers (bedtime attire or at least, at home prepping for a date).

I lived a few miles from campus and had to bus to the college. After making an initial  effort to comply with the lunacy, demeaning as it was, I decided the time had come to take a stand against actions that
attacked self-esteem and personal pride.

I committed the cardinal sin! This freshman appeared without hair rollers and her skirt in place, wearing the waistband where it was intended to be, not enduring the full week intended!  My statement both implied and explicit, while it may not have won friends, it did influence people. Others followed in rebellion.

Strange that I recall no other details of the nonsense of initiation but these two pieces stand out.

However, I recall the following year when I lived in a dorm closer to campus, we were visited by several Worcester Polytech men who were undergoing their hazing.  Part of this was to visit womens’ dorms and the men shine the residents’ shoes, as many pair as each woman presented their “slave”.  The men were not allowed to speak.

In spite of the demeaning element, once it was finished, everyone had fun interracting, socializing. Our housemother served trays of homemade cookies and drinks for all when we met in the living rooms.

Your work as well as the news of hazing deaths in more recent times have piqued my curiosity as to the progressive differences of today’s hazings over yesteryears.

Link to the letters.  Commentary is that of the Houston Press and not this moderator. HN