During a recent visit to Otterbein University on Oct. 25, the family of Bowling Green State University student Stone Foltz warned students of the dangers of hazing. Foltz died on March 7, 2021, of fatal alcohol intoxication caused by a hazing ritual.
The Foltz family started the iamstonefoltz FOUNDATION in his memory. Since Stone’s death, his family has been fighting to end hazing on college campuses.
“You guys are the ones that can change the culture, it’s you guys, it’s your generation,” Shari Foltz, Stone’s mother, said.
Members of Otterbein’s sororities and fraternities gathered in Cowan Hall, listening to Stone’s family members recount the day that changed their family forever.
“Some of the information in here can be triggering,” warned DJ Williams, Stone’s aunt and president of the iamstonefoltz Foundation.
The presentation started out with Williams sharing a short video and explaining the Ohio definition of hazing to audience members. Ohio defines hazing as coercing or forcing a person to commit any act of initiation in order to join a group. This includes both mental and physical harm.
Shari and Cory Foltz then took the stage to share Stone’s story. They started out by displaying childhood photos of Stone on the screen behind them while they talked about his dreams and goals going into college.
Shari Foltz explained that in Stone’s sophomore year he decided to rush out of the blue. Stone was trying to join the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, otherwise known as PIKE, at BGSU.
“Stone changed a lot, I couldn’t get out of him exactly what was going on,” Shari Foltz said. “His personality was changing.”
The 911 call echoed throughout the auditorium. Cory Foltz, Stone’s father, took to the stage to explain what happened when they received the call that would change their lives forever.
Stone’s siblings, AJ and Jersee, also recounted their experiences with losing their older brother.
“My life changed the most, not being able to create more memories,” AJ Foltz, Stone’s younger brother, said.
Maddy Borja, Stone’s girlfriend, spoke to the audience and tearfully shared her story, from finding out that Stone was rushing, to finding him unconscious and calling 911.
The presentation ended with Alcohol 101, a presentation detailing how alcohol affects the human body after a certain amount of drinks, and a call to action from Stone’s family.
“Be strong and have courage,” Cory Foltz said.
“What can you do?” asked Williams. "You can start, share, sign, promise, report, contact, and support.”
The iamstonefoltz foundation is dedicated to keeping Stone’s memory alive by giving to charities that promote acts of kindness to those in need and educating others on the deadly consequences of hazing by telling Stone’s story.
To learn more about hazing prevention, visit https://stophazing.org.
