Katy Beth Boyers / Arts and Life Editor
Rae Ann Gruver spoke to students in Reid Chapel on Oct. 3 to an audience of Samford students in Greek organizations about the dangers of hazing . Rae Ann Gruver is an Alpha Delta Pi alumnae at Clemson University and mother of Max Gruver, a freshman at Louisiana State University who died from hazing on Sept. 14, 2017.
Samford student Camille Stroud introduced Gruver and talked about how she personally knew Max Gruver.
“He was a gentle giant,” Stroud said.
Max Gruver was a freshman at LSU and a journalism major who was known as easy going and a sports enthusiast.
“He could talk your ear off on all the sports statistics,” Rae Ann Gruver said.
On Sept. 14, 2017 Max Gruver died from hazing at the age of 18, leaving behind his parents, brother, sister and many friends that knew and loved him.
Max Gruver attended a hazing event in his fraternity called “Bible Study,” which included new members doing wall sits while members walked across their legs, and a trivia portion where if one person got an answer wrong they must drink diesel, a high potency alcohol.
The activity lasted two hours and Max drank 30 ounces of diesel that night. Gruver rested in the house as members watched him, yet not calling 911 when his heart rate slowed down and got weaker.
“Even with obvious signs of distress, no one called 911,” Rae Ann said,“If you are checking someone’s pulse or breathing, you should be calling 911.”
Max Gruver died around 4 or 5 a.m. from alcohol poisoning and choking to death on his own vomit. As a result, 10 fraternity members were arrested.
According to hazingprevention.org, “Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.”
Hazing has been an issue throughout the United States, with there being 43 deaths since 2009 and three more deaths being investigated so far this year. The crime of hazing is considered a misdemeanor in Alabama.
Rae Ann Gruver spoke to students in Greek organizations, urging them to stop hazing on college campuses and within Greek organizations.
“Hazing does not build unity and should not be ‘tradition,’” Gruver said.
Gruver urged students to be leaders, speak up and not be a bystander.
“Taking action takes courage, and speaking up may not be the easiest choice, but it’s the right choice,” Gruver said,“Do not play russian roulette with someone’s life.”
To conclude her speech, Gruver highlighted the last thing Gruver wrote in his diary when he was younger, which said “God works in funny ways…He does bad to ultimately create good.”
Gruver offered some words of encouragement to the audience at the very end to make something good out of this tragedy.
“Make something good out of something that’s been horrible,” Gruver said,“Make change happen. Stay true to yourself and to your values.”
Rae Ann Gruver spoke to students in Reid Chapel on Oct. 3 about the dangers of hazing to an audience of Samford students in Greek organizations. Rae Ann Gruver is an Alpha Delta Pi alumnae at Clemson University and mother of Max Gruver, a freshman at Louisiana State University who died from hazing on Sept. 14, 2017.
Samford student Camille Stroud introduced Gruver and talked about how she personally knew Max Gruver.
“He was a gentle giant,” Stroud said.
Max Gruver was a freshman at LSU and a journalism major who was known as easy going and a sports enthusiast.
“He could talk your ear off on all the sports statistics,” Rae Ann Gruver said.
On Sept. 14, 2017 Max Gruver died from hazing at the age of 18, leaving behind his parents, brother, sister and many friends that knew and loved him.
Max Gruver attended a hazing event in his fraternity called “Bible Study,” which included new members doing wall sits while members walked across their legs, and a trivia portion where if one person got an answer wrong they must drink diesel, a high potency alcohol.
The activity lasted two hours and Max drank 30 ounces of diesel that night. Gruver rested in the house as members watched him, yet not calling 911 when his heart rate slowed down and got weaker.
“Even with obvious signs of distress, no one called 911,” Rae Ann said,“If you are checking someone’s pulse or breathing, you should be calling 911.”
Max Gruver died around 4 or 5 a.m. from alcohol poisoning and choking to death on his own vomit. As a result, 10 fraternity members were arrested.
According to hazingprevention.org, “Hazing is any action taken or any situation created intentionally that causes embarrassment, harassment or ridicule and risks emotional and/or physical harm to members of a group or team, whether new or not, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate.”
Hazing has been an issue throughout the United States, with there being 43 deaths since 2009 and three more deaths being investigated so far this year. The crime of hazing is considered a misdemeanor in Alabama.
Rae Ann Gruver spoke to students in Greek organizations, urging them to stop hazing on college campuses and within Greek organizations.
“Hazing does not build unity and should not be ‘tradition,’” Gruver said.
Gruver urged students to be leaders, speak up and not be a bystander.
“Taking action takes courage, and speaking up may not be the easiest choice, but it’s the right choice,” Gruver said,“Do not play russian roulette with someone’s life.”
To conclude her speech, Gruver highlighted the last thing Gruver wrote in his diary when he was younger, which said “God works in funny ways…He does bad to ultimately create good.”
Gruver offered some words of encouragement to the audience at the very end to make something good out of this tragedy.
“Make something good out of something that’s been horrible,” Gruver said,“Make change happen. Stay true to yourself and to your values.”
