Danny Santulli's family members join MU students to light candles in Peace Park

An end to hazing at the University of Missouri, and all other campuses, was the point of a Wednesday night candlelight vigil in Peace Park organized by Danny Santulli's siblings and cousins on the one-year anniversary of the hazing event that left him severely disabled.

A few dozen students gathered Wednesday for the event.

Many students wore shirts stating "Danny Strong." Handmade signs read "Pray 4 Danny," "No One Deserves This" and "This isn't brotherhood."

A year before, Santulli was a freshman pledge to the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, also known as Fiji. During an Oct. 19, 2021, event called "Pledge Dad Reveal Night," Santulli was expected to consume a bottle of vodka. He drank three-fourths of it and became unresponsive.

In the early-morning hours of Oct. 20, Santulli was brought to MU Hospital and resuscitated there. Brain damage caused by the alcohol poisoning resulted in a loss of sight and his ability to walk or talk.

He has returned to his parents' home in Minnesota and this week began hyperbaric oxygen treatments to try to restore some brain function.

Fiji is no longer at MU. The fraternity and several of its members settled civil lawsuits with the Santulli family to help pay for his care. Now 11 are charged criminally.

Danny's life and the lives of his family members changed forever a year ago, said Danny's brother, Nick Santulli, an MU grad.

"A year ago, what happened to Danny is something we'll never forget," Nick Santulli said.

Those in leadership positions at the fraternity didn't do their jobs that night, he said.

"If you ever see anyone in distress, just call 911," he said.

That his brother is still alive is something they cherish, he said.

Their lives have been a whirlwind for the past year, said Santulli's sister, Meredith Santulli, an MU student.

"This should have never happened," she said. "This was a senseless act."

The surveillance video of the night reveals that it was not fun and games, she said.

"Hazing has no business at this campus or any other campus," Meredith Santulli said.

Her brother is still there and listening to every word, she said. Meredith said she doesn't think the university nor the community want hazing to continue.

"We are not going to tolerate this behavior," she said.

Santulli's cousins, MU students Charles Haugh and Megan Haugh, also spoke. Charles Haugh said he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, but wasn't there on "Pledge Dad Reveal Night."

The Phi Kappa Theta fraternity is trying to do things right, said member Max Shapiro, the only non-relative to speak.

His fraternity emphasized that no hazing is allowed in any form, he said.

"It shouldn't be happening," Shapiro said of hazing. "I'll never understand it."

People say hazing builds camaraderie and brotherhood, but there are much better ways to do that, he said.

"I wouldn't be there if I didn't know we were trying to set the right example," Shapiro said.

Being on campus last year after the incident was extremely difficult, said Meredith Santulli after people extinguished their candles. She couldn't stand seeing Fiji members around acting like they had done nothing wrong, she said.

"I didn't want to be here," she said.

It's better this year, she said, because most of them are gone. With the criminal charges, perhaps the consequences of their actions are sinking in.

Wednesday was just the second of the hyperbaric oxygen treatments her brother received in New Orleans. It was too early to know if there are any improvements, she said.

Danny understands when they talk to him "100%," Nick Santulli said.

"He's still Danny," he said.

Attendees of the vigil and everyone they talk with to bring awareness to what happened to Danny can make a difference, he said. He doesn't know if hazing will end because of it, but he hopes so, he said.

"Maybe we can save some lives," Nick Santulli said.

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on Twitter at @rmckinney9.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Danny Santulli hazing anniversary marked by candles, statements