Danny Santulli Was a Victim of the "Worst Fraternity Hazing Injury Ever in the United States"

Danny Santulli's parents take comfort in the fact that their son is still able to cry. Tom Santulli told the Columbia Missourian that, "We’re thinking the crying is OK, instead of being comatose."

For a while on Oct. 19, 2021, Danny was comatose and worse. While participating in a hazing ritual at the University of Missouri where he was a freshman, Santulli was allegedly forced to drink nearly a full bottle of vodka.

When Danny was found unresponsive by his possible Phi Gamma Delta brothers, they brought him to a hospital. It was later revealed that Danny had a blood alcohol content of .486 percent, and had suffered cardiac arrest.

This didn't kill him, but Danny is far from the kid his family once knew. Where is Danny Santulli now? Here's what we know.

The hazing ritual left Danny blind, brain-damaged, and unable to walk. As such, his parents have become permanent caretakers. He lives at their home in Eden Prairie, Minn., and follows a fairly rigid schedule, which is necessary for his survival.

Every morning his mother Mary Pat wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to begin prepping her son's food. She then puts it into a bag that will be administered to Danny via a feeding tube.

Before Danny nearly died from alcohol poisoning, there had been other instances of hazing at the fraternity. An older fraternity brother forced Danny into a trash can that was filled with broken glass.

Not only did he have to get stitches, but Danny's grades were slipping and he was having trouble sleeping. When he called his sister Meredith about what was going on, she said he was crying. Despite saying he would quit, Danny soldiered on. His father said he wasn't a quitter.

Surveillance footage of that night has circulated online. In it, the pledges are seen leading each other down a set of stairs while blindfolded. Various members of the fraternity are pushing the pledges, trying to trip them.

A fraternity brother puts a funnel into Danny's mouth so he can quickly shotgun a beer. He collapsed at 10:55 p.m. and was placed on a sofa, only to slide off it a little over an hour later. Roughly 20 minutes after that, Danny is finally taken to the hospital.

Tom has not heard his son's voice since this happened. He told the Columbia Missourian that he "grieves in private." What he wants most, is an apology from the people he believes are responsible.

The fraternity took the stance that this was Danny's fault, as he was a willing participant, and Tom is tired of that narrative. "Honestly, I just want accountability. That’s all," he said.

Tom and Mary Pat try to keep some semblance of a normal life for their son. Sometimes Tom will listen to Post Malone with him because that was one of his favorite artists. "I kind of like it, now. He’s pretty good," Tom shares. Mary Pat prefers something more relaxing and tends to choose soundscapes. Like his father, Danny was a big sports person so listening to games together has become a priority.

It doesn't matter if it's baseball or football, Tom is trying to reach his son any way he can.

The name of the game for the Santulli family is part hope, part realistic expectations. One thing that can definitely help them move on is the fact that their legal issues have come to a close.

In June 2024, the Columbia Daily Tribune reported that felony charges were dropped against one of the pledges after "Santulli's 'pledge dad' Ryan Delanty pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges." Charges against three other boys were also dismissed.

Although dismissals don't sound ideal, there was some good news. Nearly two dozen civil lawsuits were settled and "seven others, including Delanty, pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges where most had minimal jail time among other penalties."

This won't change things for Danny, but it might provide some of the accountability his father was looking for.