Adam Dansiger This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. eHealthConnection.com - News and Information

   www.ehealthconnection.com/ehea - [Cached]

   Published on: 5/22/2001   Last Visited: 6/1/2001

   HANOVER , N.H. -- Instead of a diploma , former Phi Delta Alpha fraternity member Adam Dansiger '00 returned home from Dartmouth College almost four years ago paralyzed and with brain damage.
   
   His father , Zeev Dansiger , is still pursuing an admission of culpability from the College and his son's former fraternity for the car accident in the fall of 1997 that left his son permanently disabled.
   
   In October of that year , Adam and two other members of Phi Delt traveled to Burlington , Vt. On their trip home , Adam , who was driving , had an accident , causing the car to flip over.
   
   Police found no evidence that any of the passengers -- or Adam -- had been drinking or using drugs.
   
   However , an investigation into the activities of Phi Delt prompted by Zeev and a letter from Adam to the College led to derecognition of the fraternity last year. The fraternity was found responsible for dirty rushing -- when a student joins an organization before the sophomore year of eligibility.
   
   A later incident involving a member of Phi Delt setting a fire at Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity was the last straw for the College.
   
   We charged them with everything we could think of , Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman told The Dartmouth. However , the fraternity was not found guilty of those charges of rampant drug and alcohol abuse that the Dansigers detailed in letters to the College.
   ...
   After the accident , Adam was in a coma for three months. According to his father , he is now without a pituitary gland , is blind and deaf on his right side and is also completely paralyzed on that side.
   
   He drags it , said Zeev of his son's paralyzed area. [ Adam ] is emotionally destroyed , he cries himself to sleep..
   
   He's a father trying to struggle with a very difficult situation , observed Redman of Zeev , offering Adam and his family his complete sympathy while emphasizing he remains steadfast in his opinion that both the College and Phi Delt are not at fault in the downward spiral that was Adam's experience at Dartmouth.
   
   It didn't happen on this campus , said Redman of the car accident. It happened in another state..
   
   An edition of Phi Delt's newsletter , called 'Phi-Delity , ' printed this year accuses Zeev of beginning his allegations only after insurance covering the considerable cost of Adam's medical care ran out.
   
   The newsletter implied that Zeev's main goal was to sue the fraternity , take ownership of its campus property , sell it back to the College and use the money from the sale to cover Adam's health bills.
   ...
   Adam is going to need care for the rest of his life , he pointed out , noting that College officials had initially called it an. interesting idea , but that it hadn't been pursued because no lawyer would take his case.
   
   No 12 jurors [ from the area ] would agree with me , Zeev told The Dartmouth , adding that he believes they are all under economic pressure from Dartmouth..
   
   The letters Zeev composed to various government officials contain extremely strong language in reference to the College , accusing Dartmouth officials of knowingly and routinely obstruct [ ing ] justice and cover [ ing ] up for their inabilities..
   
   A letter Zeev wrote to Hanover Police Chief Nick Giaccone that he gave to The Dartmouth calls Giaccone a disgrace to the badge! Zeev also recommends Giaccone be removed from his position immediately , alleging that the Chief's inexcusable , incomprehensible and disgraceful tirade of words to him implied that Adam had drug and alcohol issues long before he arrived at Dartmouth.
   
   ...
   According to The Dartmouth's sources , however , Phi Delt brothers have done investigations of their own into Adam's high school life , in order to dispel Zeev's charge that Adam began using drugs and alcohol upon joining their house.
   
   Those sources say that information the brothers have uncovered indicate that Adam , who attended New York City's highly-esteemed magnet public school Stuyvesant and came away with a 97 average at the rigorous institution , was no stranger to illegal drugs and alcohol.
   
   Should the Dansigers take their case to court , Redman predicted , the situation is likely to get nasty..
   
   I don't think it will be good for he and his family for him to hear about what some Phi Delts think of Adam , said Redman.
   
   At the close of his letter to Giaccone , Zeev writes in capital letters : Chief Giaccone , I am Wolf Zeev Dansiger and I am Adams [ sic ] father. Remember my name because I will always have your words etched [ sic ] in my heart..
   
   Zeev insisted to The Dartmouth that his closing statement to Hanover's Chief of Police was in no way a threat.
   
   I'm not stupid , I'm not going to put it down in writing that I am threatening the Chief of Police , Zeev explained.
   ...
   In a brief conversation with The Dartmouth , Adam , speaking slowly and haltingly , answered questions about his health status , saying he felt he was alright..
   
   All right is completely relative , he said , however. I still have a lot of problems..
   
   ( C ) 2001 The Dartmouth via U-WIRE
   
   Copyright 2000 All rights reserved.