Missouri student, victim of 'the worst fraternity hazing injury ever,' is 'alive for a reason': parents

On Oct. 19, 2021, Daniel "Danny" Santulli was blindfolded and shirtless when he was forced to drink a bottle of vodka taped to his hand at a fraternity pledge event. The incident left the University of Missouri freshman unable to see, walk or speak.

The case of the then-19-year-old, who suffered brain damage from severe alcohol poisoning, is being explored in A&E’s new true-crime docuseries, "Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life."

The show details how Greek organizations can have "far-reaching consequences that can turn dangerous, even deadly." It features interviews with former fraternity and sorority members, loved ones, law enforcement and other experts.

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The Santulli family has come forward to raise awareness about their son and the peer pressure they said he endured leading up to his life-altering injuries.

"Prior to the incident, he was very sleep-deprived," Santulli’s mother, Mary Pat Santulli, told Fox News Digital. "[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," the matriarch reflected. "And then two days later, this happened… I just couldn’t believe what took place that night."

According to the episode, Santulli broke down to his older sister Meredith. He was struggling with the recruitment of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta. His grades were slipping.

Previously, he was hospitalized after an older member instructed him to climb inside a trash can filled with broken glass.

At the time of the incident that would rock his family, Santulli was taking part in a ritual called "pledge dad reveal night." According to the series, Santulli was forced to drink hard liquor, followed by beer.

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Just before 11 p.m., a heavily intoxicated Santulli was seen in security camera footage losing his balance, and eventually falling backwards. Fraternity members then carried him to a nearby sofa. At one point, his head hit a tile floor.

Santulli’s limp body fell off the sofa at 12:30 a.m. and was not put back until 15 minutes later, when he was taken outside. While carrying Santulli to the door, the video footage showed members of the fraternity dropping him. He was then taken to the hospital in a car driven by fraternity members.

Santulli was found in cardiac arrest and not breathing inside the vehicle. Authorities said his blood alcohol content was 0.486%, six times the legal limit.

Santulli’s father, Tom Santulli, told Fox News Digital it was important for him to watch the painful footage for himself.

"People say, ‘Are you sure you want to see it?’ Yes, I want to see what happened to my son," Tom explained. "I do want to see the abuse. I want to see exactly what happened. And yes, I was blown away. But then again, I said, ‘I’m glad [I saw it].’"

"Now we’re focused – now we’re on a mission, and we’re going to hold people accountable for what happened that evening," the patriarch added.

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Santulli spent six weeks at the University of Missouri Hospital's intensive care unit before moving to a rehab hospital in Colorado. As a result of the incident, doctors say he will need care for life. He has been described as a victim of "the worst fraternity hazing injury ever in the United States," his family's attorney said.

"I think Danny’s alive… because other kids were not as fortunate when there was a hazing incident," said Tom. "… He’s alive for a reason."

"This is real, [this] is happening [to other students]," chimed Mary Pat. "It will continue if fraternities and sororities are still going on. People need to be educated and we need to talk to our kids. We need to let them know what’s going on. [Parents] need to do their research and find out if any of these sororities or fraternities have had past violations, what the record is."

Attorney David Bianchi, who represents the Santulli family and specializes in hazing litigation, said the student’s injury was not an isolated event.

"These are part of a pattern of unsafe and dangerous behavior that represents the traditions of the fraternity," he said.

Since 2017, Phi Gamma Delta, also known as Fiji, had six documented violations of alcohol distribution policies and two hazing violations in Missouri, according to university records. The Missouri chapter has since been shut down following Santulli’s hospitalization.

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Today, the Minnesota resident has been making "great strides," but the pain has not lessened for the family.

"Danny needs care 24/7," Tom explained. "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," Tom shared. "I’m not saying it’s significant, but he is making strides."

Santulli’s story is far from over. Loved ones went on to file a civil lawsuit against the fraternity and 23 members. It was settled for an unspecified amount in 2022.

In May of this year, Ryan P. Delanty of Manchester, Missouri, pleaded guilty to supplying liquor to a minor and misdemeanor hazing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Santulli's "pledge dad" was sentenced to six months in jail, KRCGTV shared. According to the outlet, he will also spend six months on house arrest.

Another fraternity member, Thomas Shultz of Chesterfield, Missouri, previously pleaded guilty to supplying liquor to a minor. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail, two years of probation, and ordered to perform community service and complete a drug and alcohol education program.

Alec Wetzler pleaded guilty to charges of supplying liquor to a minor or intoxicated person and purchase/attempt to purchase or possession of liquor by a minor, according to KRCG. Court records showed that Wetzler was handed a 180-day jail sentence, as well as two years of unsupervised probation. He was also ordered to pay a $500 fine.

The university has disciplined 13 former fraternity members, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported. 

"Our hearts continue to go out to the Santulli family," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "The university took immediate action, ultimately resulting in the loss of recognition of Phi Gamma Delta. The individuals found responsible for this tragedy also have been held accountable."

"Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Danny and the Santulli family," Executive Director of Phi Gamma Delta Rob Caudill previously said.

"Danny should not have been put in such a situation," said Caudill. "The International Fraternity prohibits hazing and the provision of alcohol to minors and expects all members to follow the law and our policies.

"We support anyone being held accountable for their conduct and the consequences that may result. The International Fraternity acted immediately to stop all activities of the chapter, which is now closed."

As the school season gears up, Santulli’s family is determined to warn other parents. Mary Pat even suggested that students considering Greek life should wait at least one semester and speak with other members first to educate themselves and their loved ones.

"It’s very difficult to relive everything and talk about it," she said. "But I feel… it’s important to make people aware of what is happening in Greek life. Hazing is real. And we just want to make people aware, so this tragedy doesn’t happen to another family."