After a former university student was left blind and unable to speak or walk following a hazing incident at a fraternity pledge event, his parents have given an update on his condition.
Daniel 'Danny' Santulli was part of a Phi Gamma Delta fraternity at the University of Missouri and was ordered to drink an obscene amount of alcohol.
The incident occurred in October 2021 and saw a number of young men plead guilty over the torture they put him through.
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Santulli, then 19, was left with brain damage after drinking 1.75 litre bottle of Tito's vodka and being forced to drink beer through a tube, according to the lawsuit.
Following the hazing, footage revealed that the student had passed out as a result of the excessive drinking, and could be seen half-hanging off a sofa and turning blue, with nobody calling an ambulance until much later in the night.
It was then that the Frat members realised that Danny was in a dangerous situation and they put him in a car to take him to the hospital.
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By the time he got there, he had stopped breathing long enough to cause long-lasting brain damage.
According to authorities, Danny's blood alcohol content was at 0.486, which is six times the legal limit.
Now living at home with his parents, Santulli requires round the clock care.
The Santulli’s have been raising awareness about hazing and the dangers of peer pressure since that fateful night in 2021.
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Santulli’s mum, Mary Pat Santulli, told Fox News Digital: “Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived.
“[The fraternity was] draining his account … He was very drained … At that point, I talked to him and said, ‘Danny, you don’t have to go through this. You can quit. You have to do what’s best for you.’
“He was … quiet about it. And then two days later, this happened … I just couldn’t believe what took place that night.”
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While he is making 'great strides', Santulli’s condition is still complex and requires a lot of hands to care for him.
As per news.co.au, Mr Santulli explained: “Danny needs care 24/7. We are the main caregivers, my wife and I.
“We also have nurses come in. We have caregivers come in. We have different folks who focus on speech, occupational therapy and physical therapy. We also have appointments for Danny.
“But from the accident in 2021 to now, he has improved. I’m not saying it’s significant, but he is making strides.”
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After the incident, Santulli's family filed a civil lawsuit against the fraternity and its 23 members, though it was settled out of court in 2022 and the fraternity subsequently closed.
Britt Jones