GRANVILLE, Ohio — It’s been more than a year and a half since the death of Stone Foltz.
Since then, his family has been fighting for hazing to end on college campuses. On Sunday, the family visited Denison University in Granville.
"Hazing's abusive and senseless. It's very dangerous and it can kill,” said Cory Foltz, Stone’s father.
Student-athletes filled every pew in the Swasey Chapel, listening to the unbearable day from the Foltz family.
"On the night of March 4, 2021, Stone was hazed and forced to drink a large amount of alcohol at a fraternity ritual,” said Stone's mother, Shari Foltz.
Stone was trying to join the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity at Bowling Green State University, when he was found unconscious after he drank an entire bottle of bourbon during an alleged hazing ritual.
He was placed on life support for organ donation and died on March 7, 2021.
His parents along with his siblings drove home the message of ending hazing to students.
"We never thought it would happen to us in a million years,” said Shari.
“It can happen to anyone. I look at it and I just get the realization that it just happened out of nowhere and you wouldn't expect it and that's what kind of hurt the most,” said Stone’s younger brother, A.J. Foltz.
That message is already resonating with students.
10TV spoke with Denison University senior athletes Mikaila Carpenter and Luke Landis. Carpenter is on the women’s basketball and track and field teams. Landis is captain of the men’s swimming and diving teams.
The two said they’re aware that hazing happens in Greek life, as well as in sports.
That’s why they’re vowing to never let it happen on their campus.
"I think if we're starting anti-hazing in college, what's that going to mean in the workplace. We're going to stand up against people,” said Carpenter.
"There are athletes in fraternities. We're here to be one big team and one big family, and that means not hurting one another,” said Landis.
The Foltz family hopes no parent and no friend has to endure what so many families have before.
"Let’s face it. Terrible things are going to happen, but it's how you handle them that makes the difference...sometimes between life and death,” said Cory Foltz.
