Grieving continues for Jason Wahl, the 21-year-old Gannon student who died after incurring head injuries when he fell off the second-floor balcony of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity house.
Shortly before 8 p.m. on Friday, Erie police said Wahl, a junior engineering major from Harmony, Pa., in Butler County, was jumping up and down near the railing when he lost his balance and fell 17 feet.
He was unconscious when paramedics arrived to APD at 234-236 W. Third St., and went into cardiac arrest when he was placed in the ambulance to be taken to UPMC Hamot Medical Center.
He was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit until early Saturday morning.
Wahl was pronounced brain dead at 3:21 p.m. on Saturday by Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook.
Karla Wludyga, director of public relations and communications and special assistant to the president, confirmed Monday that Wahl had been taken off life support.
Cook ruled blunt force trauma as the cause of death. No autopsy will be performed and the death was ruled accidental.
Cook said it will take two or three more weeks to determine specifics about substances in Wahl’s body.
Lt. Kirk Werner, the public relations officer for the Erie police, said the police investigation was closed after no criminal action or suspicious circumstances were found. He said if there are no extenuating circumstances, cases like these are often closed quickly.
“It’s an unfortunate accident,” Warner said.
Ted Marnen, director of police and safety at Gannon, said Gannon police were called in to assist on the scene by the Erie police.
He said in the aftermath the first concern is to grieve, but he said it’s important to discuss safety. He said Gannon made an effort to improve Harborview railings, by raising them. The police and safety doesn’t have any control over the fraternity houses, but he said the height of that railing is a concern.
Eric Pope, associate director of Student Organizations and Leadership Development, said neither the university nor the Inter-Fraternity Council will take any action against the fraternity as Wahl and the others who were there that night were all 21 or older and the gathering wasn’t deemed an official fraternity function.
“It was just an accident involving a frat member,” he said.
Students gathered at a prayer service on Saturday for Wahl. On Sunday the regularly scheduled 9 p.m. Mass at Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel was held for Wahl.
President Keith Taylor, Ph.D., said he hopes the community will come together to help those at Gannon affected by Wahl’s death.
“I encourage students to lean on each other, the faculty and staff at this time,” he said. “Please take advantage of the grief counseling that is available if you need someone to talk to, and do your very best to focus on your studies as the semester ends. Our faith will help us heal together as a community.”
APD is selling purple bracelets for $3 Wednesday through Friday in Waldron Campus Center in honor of Wahl. The bracelets have “J.W. 4/14/12 Live Life With No Regrets” written on them.
Jody Lambert • Apr 27, 2012 at 7:28 am
My heart and prayers are with you all. I was the nurse whom recieve Jason on the unit. The students whom came to say good bye were so respectful to the family and the staff. It was difficult to see how broken these young men were during the last days of Jason’s life. Please hold on to Jesus and he will bring you through this loss. God bless the faternity and all his friends.
Jody Lambert