Niamh Shackleton
A teenager's 'pledge dad' sent a chilling four-word text message following a near-fatal hazing incident.
In 2021, Danny Santulli started at the University of Missouri. The teenager had his whole life ahead of him, and was wanting to join the fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta (commonly referred to as Fiji).
But there was a gruelling process to join the frat house, which reportedly included Santulli being ordered to do things such as climb inside a trash can full of broken glass - something that led to him being hospitalized.
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His sister Meredith, who was also a student at the University of Missouri, had urged her sibling to leave the fraternity, but Santulli refused.
Two days later, the young man was left fighting for his life.
On October 19, Santulli took part in something known as 'Pledge Father Reveal Night' where new recruits would formally receive a mentor from the ranks of older members (also referred to as a pledge father), Colombia Missourian reported.
The pledges, Santulli included, were reportedly forced to drink copious amounts of hard liquor and ultimately the then 19-year-old was discovered inside a car experiencing a cardiac arrest and with alcohol poisoning.
His blood alcohol level nearly six times the legal limit.
On the fateful night, Ryan Delanty was appointed at Santulli's so-called pledge dad, and he sent a harrowing text when his 'son' fell ill.
According to court documents, Delanty sent a text to his friend saying: “My son is dead."
The family’s attorney, David Bianchi, saw security footage of the event and said that Delanty handed Santulli a bottle of alcohol for him to drink through the night.
Speaking on Good Morning America, Bianchi said: “[In the videos] We see one of the fraternity members putting a tube in Danny's mouth with a funnel at the other end and pouring beer down his throat while Danny is in the middle of consuming an entire bottle of vodka. That's on the video.
"They were given their family bottle of alcohol and then they drank from it and they took them upstairs and for the next two hours, they drank and drink and drink."
Fast forward to May 2024 and Delanty pleaded guilty to misdemeanor hazing and misdemeanor supplying alcohol to a minor.
He went on to be sentenced to six months behind bars.
Meanwhile, Santulli has been left unable to walk, talk and see - and now needs round-the-clock care after suffering severe brain damage.
His mother quit her job to become her son's primary carer.