Christian Ciammetti was once a junior landscape architecture major at Temple. He was bright and optimistic. He was inspired by Morgan Hall, towering 24 floors over Main Campus, and he hoped to design buildings even better one day. Like all other students, Christian had friends, he took classes and he aspired to some lofty career goals.
But two years ago, he died from alcohol poisoning.
“No one should have to die of this again,” Mary Ciammetti, his mother told us this week. “Everyone needs to understand the signs of alcohol poisoning.”
It inspired Ciammetti to start Don’t Stall, Just Call: an organization aiming to educate students about the symptoms of alcohol poisoning and encourage them to reach out for help when a friend is too drunk.
As students, we know many people who have encountered situations like this. We all know what it looks like when our friends get too drunk, but maybe we don’t know what it looks like when they need our help most.
The symptoms, Ciammetti said, look something like this: “mumbling, stumbling, passed out, cold to the touch.”
We admire Temple’s stance on alcohol — the message has never been about pretending students won’t drink, but instead encouraging them to do it responsibly.
We encourage Temple students to prioritize their safety over the fear of getting in trouble. If you’re at all concerned about the health and safety of someone around you, please reach out for help from the police or Temple at 215-204-1234.
Temple has a medical amnesty program in place, which forgives students for underage drinking if they have reached out for medical help.
Although getting in trouble might hurt, it won’t sting nearly as much as losing someone close to you.
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