Series of tragedies shock campus

This week, the Rose community has struggled to cope with the sorrow of life lost at a young age. The lives of junior biomedical engineer Nicholas Broadbent Lee and recently graduated mechanical engineer Brandon Dean Couch were lost in two separate automobile accidents, only four days apart. Both accidents are currently under investigation.

The accident that killed Nick Lee also hospitalized Adam C. Effinger, who is currently in critical condition at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Faced with such tragedies in such close proximity, many on campus are finding it hard to cope.

The first accident occurred on Saturday, April 5 in the afternoon hours in southern Vigo County, just outside the Terre Haute city limits. Effinger was driving a 2004 Nissan Infiniti he had bought a few days before, with Lee as his passenger, when the car left the roadway and slammed into a tree. Lee, of Bryan, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to Dr. Roland Kohr, Vigo County coroner and forensic pathologist, Lee died of massive blunt force injury, the Terre Haute Tribune Star reported. There were no indications of drugs or alcohol in his system.

Effinger was taken by Lifeline Helicopter to Methodist Hospital, where he remains in critical, but stable condition. His serious injuries included a broken right arm, a laceration to his right arm, cuts on his left hand, and a broken collarbone, according to the website set up by his family. The injury to his head caused bleeding in his brain. A machine is helping him to breathe and a fiber optic sensor in his brain is monitoring pressure inside his head.

The second accident occurred early Tuesday morning, April 8, at about 6:20 a.m. Brandon Couch, a graduate of this past fall quarter, was on his way to work on northbound State Road 63. Indiana State Trooper Ted Robertson reported that a tractor-trailer attempted to make an illegal U-turn from the right shoulder after pulling out of a gas station, while Couch was in the left lane. The tractor-trailer turned in front of Couch's vehicle, cutting him off. The tractor-trailer then struck Couch on the back right side of his vehicle as Couch tried to get around. Couch then careened into the median, where his car rolled one and a half times, coming to rest partially in the southbound lanes. Police reported that Couch was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured.

Couch and Lee were respected student-athletes by their coaches and peers. Couch's football teammates recognized his positive attitude and good spirit, and awarded him the Spirit of Chauncey Rose Award three years in a row. Memories line his "Wall" on Facebook with friends and families saying goodbye, and how he'll be missed by all. Lee was also a well-respected athlete and person by his teammates of the Swimming and Diving team. "These two were very well-respected; the two best swimmers on our team" said Swimming and Diving coach Mike Caruso, talking about Lee and Effinger. Thoughts and prayers also line the two online guest books set up for the two swimmers.

Both Couch and Lee are survived by their fiancées; Couch was set to marry next year.

According to Pete Gustafson, the last time Rose has dealt with a death in the community was all the way back in 1994/95 when there were three deaths that year, including a car accident and a drowning in Speed Lake.

In honor of Nick Lee, Rose-Hulman has provided bus transport to Texas so that students could attend the funeral this past Thursday. The bus took 29 people, aside from several other students who flew down instead. A memorial service for Nick Lee will be held in the White Chapel next Thursday, April 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Services for Brandon Couch will be held in Greenfield, Indiana at Park Chapel Christian Church, approximately two hours from Terre Haute. Friends may call today from 1 p.m. till 9 p.m. The funeral service will be held tomorrow, April 12 at 11 a.m. at the church. Burial will follow at Park Cemetery in Greenfield. Plans are being made for a memorial service for Couch that will take place on campus in the near future.

The tragedies only add to those of two Rose-Hulman sophomores also fighting for their lives, electrical engineering major Jeff Trune and biomedical engineering major Drew Christy. Christy was involved in a car accident back in late February and remains in a coma. Trune did not return to school after winter break after a tumor was discovered in his brain, and has since suffered a stroke.

Rose-Hulman's administration has made additional counseling services available through the Office of Student Affairs. School officials urge students to seek their assistance with their thoughts, questions or concerns. The professional staff is available on the lower level of the Hulman Union or by calling Tom Miller at x8210 on campus or 877-8210 from off campus.