OP-ED Lessons from a tragedy

Author: Anthony Adragna

One year ago, the Middlebury College community was shaken to its core with the news that a young first-year, Nick Garza, had gone missing. What followed was months of uncertainty, rumor and sadness as hope turned to fear - and finally, dread. The tragedy weighed heavily on students, staff and faculty, bringing the entire community to support Nick's mother, Natalie Garza, and her family. Finally, at the beginning of last summer, the community received some closure when the remains of Nick were found in Otter Creek.

Since then, we have grieved, we have remembered and we have continued our lives. But the question I pose to the Middlebury community now is: what have we learned from the Garza tragedy?

The answer, I fear, is little. Speaking now as the writer for The Campus who covered the tragedy from start to finish, rumors ran rampant throughout the College. It seems that we never heard any real answers. Various police sources have acknowledged that alcohol played a role in Garza's death but the College has not acknowledged this fact.

That alcohol played a role in this tragedy speaks to the social life at Middlebury. Too often, students believe themselves immortal. They think nothing bad could happen to them in the cold of winter. However, Nick Garza's death proved this was not the case.

Nick's tragedy offers us as a community the opportunity to revaluate how we, as students, drink. It also offers the community the chance to enter into a discussion on the matter. My fear is that after four years, when the Class of 2011 graduates, the College will have forgotten the story of Nick Garza and could repeat it.

Instead, let's acknowledge the facts of the case and work actively to change the way we approach drinking. A Nick Garza Memorial Day could promote alcohol education classes, urge students to walk home with a friend late at night and hold an honest discussion about drinking at Middlebury with an actual face, making the lessons seem more "real."

At the same time, students need to examine their own behavior. I've talked to many who know that alcohol played a role in death of Nick Garza but have not changed their attitudes or habits. The cold of Vermont and alcohol can be lethal. We have seen that the hard way. The message is clear: have fun, but be smart.

We need to remember that any number of us could have been Nick Garza. Just anecdotally, I can recall three stories of students who passed out in the snow to have someone find them. Nick's death offers us, as students, the chance to change how we approach social life at Middlebury.

Our community suffered an unspeakable tragedy last year. Unfortunately, we have a face to the dangers of winter at Middlebury. Let's turn the incident into something positive. The time has come to engage the entire community, including administrators, students, staff and community members, in an honest and open discussion about alcohol.

However, the final burden rests upon students. We are adults and should act like it. It's time to not brush off Nick Garza as an exception. Instead, let's remember him and use his death as an opportunity to appreciate our lives a little bit more.