Security footage from a University of Missouri fraternity house has revealed the final moments before student Danny Santulli suffered life-changing injuries during a hazing ritual, leaving him blind, paralyzed, and unable to speak.
What happened that night
Santulli, then a 19-year-old freshman, was taking part in an event known as "pledge dad reveal night" on 19 October 2021, at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house. According to court documents, he had a bottle of vodka taped to his hands and was instructed to finish it, alongside drinking some beer, before the night was over.
Footage shows Santulli losing his balance and falling backward after becoming heavily intoxicated, before being carried to a sofa by fraternity members. He fell head-first off the sofa around 90 minutes later and wasn't lifted back up for a further 15 minutes, at which point members appeared to check for a pulse. While being carried outside, he was accidentally dropped onto a tile floor before being driven to hospital.
The medical emergency
Santulli was found not breathing and in cardiac arrest while being transported. His blood alcohol content was recorded at 0.486%, roughly six times the legal driving limit. According to the Cleveland Clinic, a blood alcohol level above 0.30% is considered life-threatening, and anything above 0.40% is potentially fatal. He spent six weeks in intensive care before being transferred to a rehabilitation hospital in Colorado, and now requires lifelong care.
His father's decision to watch the footage
Santulli's father, Tom, told Fox News Digital he insisted on watching the full footage himself, saying: "People say, 'Are you sure you want to see it?' Yes, I want to see what happened to my son. 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." He said he believes his son survived so their family could raise awareness and prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.
The legal outcome
Ryan Delanty, who served as Santulli's assigned "pledge dad" that night, pleaded guilty in May to reduced misdemeanour charges of hazing and supplying alcohol to a minor, receiving six months in jail followed by six months of house arrest. Court documents showed Delanty texted a friend shortly after Santulli's collapse, writing: "My son is dead." Santulli's brother, Nick, said in a victim impact statement that no one had looked out for Danny that night due to peer pressure, adding that those responsible had shown no remorse toward the family.
Delanty's attorney, Stephanie Fortus, said her client is remorseful and understands the severity of Santulli's injuries and the recklessness of his actions that night.
The wider fallout
The Santulli family filed a civil lawsuit against the fraternity and 23 of its members, which was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Attorney David Bianchi, who represented the family and specialises in hazing litigation, said the incident reflected a broader pattern of unsafe behaviour within the fraternity's culture. According to the New York Post, the Phi Gamma Delta chapter had recorded six alcohol policy violations and two hazing violations in Missouri since 2017, and the chapter has since been permanently shut down.
Phi Gamma Delta's executive director, Rob Caudill, said in a statement: "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Danny and the Santulli family. Danny should not have been put in such a situation. 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."
Santulli's case is set to feature in A&E's true-crime docuseries Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life.
