Danny Santulli, a student, was left permanently blind after suffering severe brain damage due to a hazing incident that occurred in October 2021.
His family has issued a public warning to prevent similar incidents from happening to other students.
When he was 19, Santulli suffered a cardiac arrest after he was forced to drink a large bottle of vodka and beer at a fraternity house.
According to reports, he was coerced into consuming a lot of alcohol, which rendered him unable to walk, talk, or even see.
The incident happened during a “pledge night.” During this time, new members of a fraternity or sorority are invited to participate in a certain type of ritual.
In court, footage of the incident showed Santulli stumbling and unconscious on a sofa.
According to the lawsuit, the fraternity was provided with various substances, such as alcohol and marijuana. The night included an unforgettable experience.
Bottles of vodka were strapped to the hands of pledges, and if they failed to drink them, they would be called “p*****s.”
The lawsuit also states that during the pledge process, Danny was forced to go inside a trash can that had a broken glass. This occurred as part of the fraternity’s rigorous process to get accepted. Santulli had been at the fraternity for a month, and prior to the incident, he reportedly told his sister that he had already had enough.
According to the lawsuit, Danny was sleep deprived and was forced to buy various items for the other pledges. He was also required to clean the fraternity’s rooms and bring marijuana and alcohol to the group’s members at night. Even though he was visibly distressed, no one called for help after he fell unconscious. His blood alcohol level was six times over the legal limit.
Due to his condition deteriorating rapidly after he was rushed to the hospital, he suffered irreversible brain damage. He has since required constant care and has incurred medical expenses of over $2 million. Santulli, who is now a permanently blind and wheelchair-bound individual, suffered traumatic brain injuries during the incident and has a hard time communicating.
One of the individuals who participated in the incident has reportedly pleaded guilty. According to the Daily Mail, Ryan Delanty faces up to six months in jail when he is sentenced on May 24.