Stanford community in mourning following death of student athlete
On Tuesday, the Stanford community received some tragic news: A student athlete (Women’s soccer player Katie Meyer) was found dead in their campus residence. The Stanford Daily provided the following details:
An undergraduate student died in an on-campus residence on Tuesday, according to an email sent by Vice Provost for Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole this afternoon. There is no ongoing threat to campus safety, according to police.
In an email to student athletes, Athletic Director Bernard Muir confirmed the student was a member of the Stanford women’s soccer team.
The University is not yet sharing details about the student’s identity or cause of death out of respect for the family’s privacy, Brubaker-Cole wrote.
In addition to campus resources, Muir said the University is designating the Athletic Academic Resource Center (AARC) and the athletic training room as spaces this week where student-athletes, coaches and staff can visit to connect with others. AARC advisors and athletic trainers will also be stationed in these locations.
“I know that many of us are hurting deeply,” Muir added. “Now is the time to lean on each other and to check in with yourself and those around you. As you do, please know that many people are here to help however we can.”
Students first noticed ambulances and police vehicles by Crothers Hall at approximately 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Crothers residents reported seeing police officers inside of the building, and multiple sheriff cars and officers remained stationed outside of the building through the early afternoon.
A police officer told The Daily that they could not share additional information about the medical emergency before communicating with the individual’s family. The Daily has reached out to the Stanford Department of Public Safety for comment.
Brubaker-Cole shared mental health resources for students dealing with the news and encouraged community members to be mindful of one another, adding that the University will share more information as it becomes available. “We are all heartbroken about this immense tragedy,” she wrote.
On Tuesday afternoon, Stanford football had their practice canceled. Members of the media who were planning to attend for post-practice interviews were notified of the cancelation but were not informed of why at the time. In the moments after the cancellation of the practice, several different Stanford football players took to social media to express their sadness to the news, confirming why practice had been canceled.
The most notable reaction came from Stanford junior safety Omari Porter, who tweeted the following:
At what point are we going to come together as a society and remove the stigma around mental health? Innocent lives are lost everyday leaving thousands of loved ones negatively affected. We must learn to prioritize our mental health and physical well-being. Text someone you love
Tell them you love them. Many of our family members and friends struggle day in and day out, but are afraid to speak up because of how they might be viewed after the fact. IT DOES NOT MATTER! If you need to cry…then cry. If you need to scream, then scream.
I don’t care how tough you think you are, but it’s time to put down the façade and let someone know you aren’t okay. If you’re doing okay, well help someone. It’s time for us to let go of the negative judgement towards and make sure the people in our lives are okay.
If you think you have no one..well… I LOVE YOU. I’m here for anyone who needs to talk or needs somebody to listen. As a society we gotta do better! SMH
Porter concluded his remarks by giving out his contact information and offering to be a listening ear to anyone who is struggling.
Porter is right that we need to do better at removing the stigma around mental health and letting people know that it is ok to not be ok. Life is hard. We need to do better at acknowledging that.
Speaking from personal experience, my LDS mission to Minnesota was cut short by 11 months due to mental health challenges. At just 19-20 years of age, I was overwhelmed by stress due to a combination of being away from home, having to stick to a strict daily schedule, and not having many of the outlets that I relied upon when I was feeling stressed out. I didn’t have a piano I could go play, a favorite song I could just turn on, nor the chance to call home. It got bad enough that I suffered a complete mental breakdown and had to be hospitalized before being stable enough to return home.
What that experience taught me is that we can reach a breaking point due to the stresses that life throws at us. And if we don’t reach out to anyone about the challenges that we are going through and just try to bottle everything up, things can get dangerous. There are so many people who care and want to help. People that will not be judgmental or critical. But, they won’t be able to help if not given the opportunity to do so. It’s really important to let others know if you aren’t feeling well.
I offer sympathy and heartfelt condolences to those affected by this tragedy. I feel for the student athlete who lost their life, their classmates and teammates, family, and the Stanford community at large. I also once again echo Porter’s words: If you are struggling with mental health, don’t be afraid to ask for help. And if you know someone who is struggling with mental health, be a listening ear and offer whatever support or help you can and/or direct them to anyone you know who you think can be of help. Standing on the sidelines is not an option.
Note: Below are a list of resources to help those who are grieving or simply wanting to learn more about how to be of help to those in need.
