<p>" it is possible to die from alcohol poisoning, but most cases like that occur at college with kids who either a) don’t know what they’re doing drinking-wise or b) are being hazed and try to drink a ridiculous amount of alcohol in a night (a kid who tried to down two handles (~120 oz) of vodka after being told to and later died comes to mind)). Alcohol-related injuries (falls, etc.) are possible, but again serious ones (more than scrapes or minor bruises) are rare relative to the amount of drunken stupidity in the world."</p>
<p>“Don’t try to intimidate me with medical facts; I know most any alcohol related fact backwards and forwards. I don’t take blind risks, and I’m fully aware of the risks I take with drinking. In my mind, the benefits of drinking - the fun, the camaraderie, the burn of that first shot - vastly outweight the costs (I’ve paid my dues for drinking in a number of ways). I learned as much from drinking/partying during high school as I did from classes (and I took 14 APs), not to mention that while a lot of the things I learned in HS I’ll never really use again (i.e. chemistry), I’ll always use the skills I learned from drinking/partying (how to read a situation, a lot about people in general, etc.). You’re every bit as ignorant as you accuse me of being, quiltguru.”</p>
<p>A Cornell student, whose screen name is Lucifer11287, as noted on facebook, passed away this weekend after attending a fraternity party at UVA.</p>
<p>Once, my D had three girls spend the night, in the morning, i found a half full glass of some alcohol, cut with just a touch of water</p>
<p>Knowing the girls that were here and their moms, (they were 7th graders at the time), I called the moms and told them what I found- I had no proof of which girl (mine or theirs) made the drink, if in fact anyone drank it, if my D was aware (she says not)</p>
<p>When telling the moms, I said I didn’t know for sure if anyone drank it or who made it, my D said she knew nothing about it, but we had a long talk, one mom thanked me graciously and she said she would just have a talk as well, another mom blew me off, saying no big deal, and the third was angry at me, and that it NEVER could have been her daughter</p>
<p>I wasn’t expecting major punishments, but I would have wanted to know</p>
<p>i was really suprised by the different reactions</p>
<p>This is so very tragic. And lucifer’s posts here are very haunting. He has several posts on CC about drinking and being under control as if invincable. </p>
<p>Just one of several quotes of his in this vein:</p>
<p>“Take your talk of “haze” elsewhere - I enjoy drinking, but I certainly don’t go through life in a haze. I’m on track to either double or triple major plus get an MEng in 8 semesters, I run marathons for fun, and generally live life to its fullest. I do not drink myself into a stupor and waste days, months and years. Drinking is a recreational activity that I very much enjoy, but I keep it in its place - drinking only with friends and only when it won’t interfere with my other goals (I’m not Bode Miller, I don’t drink before marathons or prelims). Alcohol hasn’t limited me in any way, nor has it ever prevented me from achieving success. I’m sorry that alcohol has caused you such problems, binx, but I’m not telling you to drink. I’m just counteracting the anti-alcohol posts that everyone else seems to have and saying that it is possible for alcohol to be a positive, enjoyable thing. That, and also showing that liability wise that drunk driving (or other dangerous activity after drinking, like drunk jetskiing) is by far the biggest problem because it is far easier and far more likely that someone will drink and drive and kill themselves/someone else than it is they will drink enough to stop breathing.”</p>
<p>This subject came up in various posts of his. I hope something good can come of this terrible loss of such a promising life and the pain his family will endure. I hope students read his past posts and his take of being able to drink moderately and having no problem and nothing bad was going to happen. It has. It’s tragic. </p>
<p>His own words that he has left here will hopefully do some good.</p>
<p>Wow, this is the most shocking and awful thing I have ever read about underage drinking. His posts in this thread and the end result should be required reading for all high schoolers who think they know it all about drinking and limits. I am so saddened by this, it is haunting, like he is speaking from beyond.</p>
<p>I am going to go home from work, hug my kids and tell them I love them, then open up CC and have them read this thread.</p>
<p>So right, ag, his words are a big flag from beyond.</p>
<p>Posting and posting and posting. From a very busy life in Ithaca? From a NMF athlete?</p>
<p>It doesn’t add up. I read his words as so much braggadacio. I shouldn’t have. I should have realized that a bright 19 year old male who returns to CC to obsessively post destructive thoughts is a 19 year old male in real trouble. Why did he bother with those posts in the Parent cafe? He was seeking help.</p>
<p>Sometimes troubled kids are more obvious. This one wasn’t. I’m gonna look out for Matthew types in the future. </p>
<p>What a loss for his poor family. Cyber hugs to them.</p>
<p>Considering that we were reading lucifer’s posts defending underage drinking just a few weeks ago this is indeed a sobering and chilling story on CC. No matter how misguided he was, he should be alive today and able to grow up and mature just like the rest of our kids. If only someone around him had been sober or brave enough to call 911 and see that he was evaluated for alcohol poisoning. He would be alive and just fine at this moment. What is it going to take to get through to our “smart” kids that their bodies have limits and can overdose?<br>
Charlottesville is a wonderful college town. How sad I am to know that he died visiting our state’s university and that a combination of immaturity, ignorance and poor judgment…contributed to his untimely death. My heart goes out to his parents. These wake up calls seem to never really make enough of an impact.</p>
<p>I too am saddened and dumbstruck to learn of lucifer’s death – but I think that this should be set up as separate thread. In fact, I think it would be a good idea to set up a flagged/featured thread about drinking on campus that includes links to some his posts as well as to the obituary. </p>
<p>This should not happen to any student and it is an absolute tragedy no matter what opinions Lucifer has espoused… but I am thinking that it may cause some other kids to think twice about their own attitudes to read both lucifer’s words and spirited defense of his lifestyle, and to be aware of his untimely death.</p>
<p>I have chosen to split today’s posts from the old thread that they were posted on as the topic warrants its own thread. It is an important “must read” for parents and students alike. </p>
<p>This young man, apparently an excellent student both in and out of the classroom, has lost his life in his prime. I’ve discovered, as others have, that he was a frequent poster on CC, as recently as the day before he passed away. He has many posts but what stand out right now are his posts that discuss his views on young people and drinking. I believe some good can come of his terrible loss in his own words left here on CC. Young people do not think it will happen to them but here, tragically, it has. I hope Lucifer’s words live on so that other students can learn from his loss. </p>
<p>The thread where this was first posted includes some of lucifer’s previous posts, as do other threads. The thread I split today’s postings about lucifer’s tragic loss of life is:</p>
<p>I know the CC “family” joins me in sending prayers to lucifer’s family and friends and that his life will have lasting meaning for us all. I am going to also post this on a student forum as I feel lucifer’s peers may benefit from his story that includes his own words. There are many posts of lucifer’s on the forum besides these.</p>
<p>This is unbelievable. So very sad. I remember reading Lucifer’s posts too, and shaking my head, but did not expect this. I guess one never expects this. I wish he had gotten the help he needed. So tragic.</p>
<p>Have already copied and pasted from lucifer’s previous posts, and sent this to my children.
Truly, completely heartbreaking …
Pass it on to the kids who should learn from this very hard lesson.</p>
<p>I am so sad to hear the news. I do hope young people on cc read this and pay attention. </p>
<p>My son says he hears ambulances on campus several nights a week, and most of them are to take students to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped, because they drank too much. He will be an RA next year, and the dorm to which he is assigned is known as the “party dorm.” I am so glad he realized quite quickly that drinking was NOT for him. I hope he never has to deal with the death of a student with alcohol poisoning.</p>
<p>This is indeed a haunting thread. My preference would be to have a moderator take out the information that identifies this student and his family by name. If folks are that curious they can google it themselves…but there is no reason to include it here. The lesson is for any and everyone. I would be very upset to realize my child’s words and actions were resurfacing under his real name. It is tragic…but “a student from Cornell, who has posted here as Lucifer, died at UVA on the 17th” is sufficient. NMF or not, any kid who dies because of drugs, alcohol, inattention at the wheel of a car, performing stupid human tricks…whatever…is a kid who never made it to true adulthood…is a kid who will be missed…is a kid who will never know what they missed…</p>
<p>Cheers,
you are 100% correct that by posting here, this kid was raising a flag…and we missed it. I know I get put off at times by the visciousness of some posts…I find it easier to ignore them… I know I have posted my own concerns about the excessive drinking college kids (and even some HS kids) are doing… I view the drinking age as a contributing factor. Most college kids don’t have enough cash to buy liquor if out at a bar…it takes a lot more beer to do the damage hard drinks do…lowering the drinking age won’t eliminate these tragedies, but it will reduce them. Yes, it has the potential to introduce net increases in auto accident fatalities. But I think kids today are a bit more saavy in obtaining a designated driver. </p>
<p>Glamour magazine recently had an article about some of the XXX rated web sites paying for the booze at college and/or frat parties. They get the crowds going… encourage major alcohol consumption and then take photos of kids engaging in all sorts of acts that are posted on the XXX web site the very next day. One gal was so devastated by what she had done that she ended up on a 5 yr detour into an alcoholic haze and rehab. College was abandoned…</p>
<p>We parents don’t want to stop the fun…we want to ensure the fun can last a lifetime…</p>
<p>I can’t help but wonder if everyone isn’t jumping to conclusions here. From reading the article, nowhere does it state that he died of alcohol poisoning. It says that the cause of death has yet to be determined. Yes, it makes mention that he’d been out partying the night before but should we just assume from that that this poor boy died from alcohol poisoning? I don’t think that’s wise or fair, especially when, as someone else said, his personal information is posted on this forum. This is a tragedy for his friends and family, regardless of the cause of death but please, let’s not make assumptions based on what this boy has posted on CC.</p>
<p>What exactly constitues a “dangerous” amount of alcohol? Is it true that alcohol can damage a teenage brain? Would getting drunk once harm your brain?</p>
<p>I’m 16, 5’5’', and weigh about 135 pounds. I’ve gotten drunk only twice, and it was when I was in Spain during Christmas/New Years. I think I drank maybe two cups of champagne and then an hour later some other drink mixed with cola at a bar. The next day I didn’t throw up/have a hang over or anything.</p>
<p>How much alcohol is too much? What alcohol is the most dangerous? This may sound stupid, but my parents have never told me any of this…</p>
<p>So very sad & tragic - my love to his family, who must be suffering a unique hell.</p>
<p>Do his parents know that this student was frequently on CC? Would someone be willing to assemble a few anecdotes and kind words for them?</p>
<p>
If only you could get through. Some kids never take any chances. Some kids take chances and get lucky. Others have good friends who pull them through - I’m certain that a few friends could have met the same end but for intervention of those who love them and were concerned enough to see them through. </p>
<p>If that question was not rhetorical, there are a few things I can (happily) suggest. I do feel as if I’ve learned my lesson the easy way with drinking - by not having things go wrong but understanding that they could have. I would strongly suggest that all teenagers:
*Know the warning signs of alcohol poisoning v. mere drunkeness. One gives you a hangover; the other kills you. Symptoms (aside from the obvious of being unconsious):
pale, clammy skin
incapable of remembering things from one moment to the next
complete lack of motor skills
coldness (this one surprised me when I found out - if someone is cold, it’s because the alcohol has substantially slowed their metabolism - big warning for medical attention)</p>
<p>Sleeping it off, IMO, is never the right way to care for a drunk person.</p>
<p>I think a lot of his posts were defensive - just the tone. </p>
<p>So very sad. Never good for such a young person to die.</p>