This is the time of year when college fraternities and sororities should be bustling with fun pledge events and activities. But Greek life at West Virginia University has come to a horrific halt after freshman Nolan Burch passed away yesterday.
The 18-year-old had been in intensive care since late Wednesday night, when he was found unconscious and not breathing inside Kappa Sigma house. The fraternity was reportedly holding its Big Brother/Big Sister event that night, but other details surrounding Burch’s death are still being investigated.
In an eerie final Twitter post just hours before Wednesday’s incident, Burch wrote: “It’s about to be a very eventful night to say the least.”
WVU’s Kappa Sigma chapter had been under suspension since October because of “previous, unrelated incidents” with their code of conduct, according to the fraternity’s national office. On Thursday the university suspended all Greek organizations at the school.
Burch’s great aunt Joyce Stamp told NBC News, “These things shouldn’t happen. He’s only 18. He’s a nice young man and I’m shocked. But he’s a freshman and even very intelligent kids sometimes get caught up. You hear all the stuff about hazing, and this is his first time away from home,” she said.
WVU President E. Gordon Gee announced the death in a press release and mourned the loss on Twitter.
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