Memorial Day - Fallen Heroes

Student Deaths Abroad

Tyler Hill 1991-2007
People to People Student Ambassadors
Tokyo, Japan
Art by Michael Reagan, Fallen Heroes Project

Students who die full of their future on study abroad and other programs in foreign countries are ClearCause Fallen Heroes. They go abroad to explore our global economy, expand their horizons and create longstanding relationships. The life-changing experience for many hundreds was life ending.  ClearCause honors and remembers them.

President Barack Obama's 100,000 strong initiative encourages our future, our children, to study abroad in China and many other countries.  The well-being of our most important national treasure, our children - our future, is not protected by ANY law.  CBS DC quoted in March of 2014, "Michelle Obama touted the power of study abroad programs as an important portion of U.S. foreign policy."  100K Strong must do more.  Our students need to be 100K strongER.

America is in a cyber war with China.  Chinese military officials are charged with stealing United States data as tensions escalate. A United States student in China was arrested for sharing intellectual property. The issue at hand is a hot topic.  So much so that The FBI counters with intelligence papers about higher ed and national security. Our students are not prepared to advocate for themselves. There is no duty of care or mandated duty to inform.  Our students do not have a bill of rights. 

Students abroad are not diplomats.  They do not have diplomatic passport identification or immunity.  Students abroad are not Ambassadors.  No one in the United States government is mandated to investigate the death, assault or injury of an American student in a foreign country.  No one knows how many have died or been killed because there is no mandate to publicly report.  There is no duty of care or bill of rights even though the Office of Inspector General (OIG) brought attention to the problem in 2010.  

Our best and brightest are being enticed into countries where the United States Department of State has issued active alerts and warnings, even when Fulbright Scholars are not allowed to study there: "Just sign this waiver." 

In March 2014, many students from big 10 universities were retained in Merida, Venezuela (University of Andes) weeks after Fulbright scholars were evacuated by order of Chief of Mission. The program retaining them was VEN-USA.  VEN-USA is a mom and pop shop of Ruby and her relative who apparently do not have enough resources to update their under-construction website. A parent reported to ClearCause that Ruby was coercing the students with, "You'll hurt our program if you go back.  Things are calming down." US DOS issued an American citizens communication stating things could flair up at any time.

As students are retained in Venezuela, the same universities cancelled future study abroad programs to Venezuela because of safety concerns.  The big 10 universities stated these students are young adults and can make their own decisions.  Fulbright students are young adults also.  They don't get to decide.

There are no rules from the United States on students abroad as a matter of foreign policy.  The same big 10 universities countered an offering to study abroad in Russia, as President Barack Obama calls for American citizens to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.  Russia is a prejudice country with horrific hate crimes against people of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender origins (LGBT).  Our students do not know how to advocate for themselves.  They do not have adequate information to make informed decisions on programs.  They 'trust' their university.

Schools very often outsource to third parties.  These programs place waivers under student's faces declaring, "Sign this or you won't get a refund, your credits, or graduate.  Good luck getting home.  You are on your own."  Programs are not forthcoming with information when students die.  ClearCause parents have been told to stop calling and that their questions will not be answered by popular universities.  These programs investigate themselves and continue with business as usual.

Governor Cuomo is pushing forward a kickback bill.  Programs overcharge and line their pockets with study abroad perks from third party programs.

ClearCause supports President Obama's safety initiatives on American school campuses, managing costs of higher education. Report cards inform and protect.  ClearCause also supports 100K Strong - but we must do more to protect our students, mandate duty of care, provide a bill of rights, report tragedy and incidents to outgoing students, and sanction poor providers.  There must be guard rails and safety nets.

Please meet invisible students who have died abroad.  Help us protect our students abroad - zero preventable deaths and injuries on programs abroad is an awesome goal.  Please use your voice.  Help us advocate for protections by sending an email to your policy makers.  


Safety Means the World to Our Students on Programs Abroad.  Our Students Mean the World to Us! 

Erik Downes

Oglethorpe University
Costa Rica
January 4, 2011

20-year-old Erik Downes was a friend to everyone he met. A pre-medical student at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia, Erik served as the Student Senate’s vice president and participated in mock trial, track and community service projects, according to an article in the Tico Times. He was a strong leader, known for his intellect and affability.

In his junior year, Erik decided to travel to Costa Rica with his school to participate in an ecotourism trip when the unthinkable happened.Erik was swimming with several other students and faculty members when he was caught in a riptide, reported an article from the Georgia Daily News. Erik’s body never resurfaced. The other students and faculty members caught in the riptide with him were all unharmed. Erik’s body was found three days later in the waters off Playa Pinuelas.

“Our government spends millions protecting our wildlife and the environment. There are laws to enforce these protections and punish violators. But when it comes to protecting American students traveling abroad, there is nothing but silence. The only sounds that can be heard are the cries of the families left behind grieving and searching for answers. Tour operators and travel companies are making millions of dollars while profiting from these businesses. They must be held accountable for these preventable tragedies,” David Angueira, Erik’s attorney said. “The European Union and Great Britain has much stronger laws protecting consumers while traveling. They hold the tour companies responsible for the negligence of their suppliers, unlike the U.S. where most companies hide behind secret documents releasing consumer rights to bring claims against these companies when they harm tourists. See this website to learn about this further.”

-David Angueira, Erik’s attorney.

Jenna Druck

Semester-at-Sea
India
March 27, 1996

Jenna Druck embraced life with every fiber of her being. She was filled with endless love, energy and enthusiasm, and it showed in her accomplishments, relationships, vision, values, competitive spirit, courage and compassion.

Selected “San Diego’s Young Woman Entrepreneur” at age 9, speaking publicly for the Young Presidents Organization at 14, elected Senior ASB V.P. at Torrey Pines HS, voted a Presidents Leadership Institute Scholar and President of Pi Beta Phi sorority at CU Boulder, Jenna was a natural born leader.  Above all else, she was a true friend, sister, daughter, granddaughter, cousin and lover of life.  Her sense of social justice, wisdom and fierce determination from an early age were inspiring and far-reaching. She encouraged others to live with “strength of heart,” a combination of compassion and integrity – and embodied those qualities throughout her life.

Jenna’s life ended tragically and abruptly at age 21 when she was killed in a bus accident while studying abroad with Semester-at-Sea in India. Her father, Dr. Ken Druck, founded The Jenna Druck Center to honor her life and spirit. The Center’s two award-winning programs, Families Helping Families and Spirit of Leadership have been a lifeline for over 7,500 bereaved families and 18,000 diverse young women who aspire to be leaders in their own lives and communities.

Jenna is the Jenna Druck Center’s CAO (Chief Angelic Officer).  Her undying love continues to impact the lives of countless young women and bereaved families. She lives on in those whose hearts she touched.

Sheryl Hill and ClearCause are doing everything in their power to keep kids safe while studying and traveling abroad.  I thank them from the bottom of my heart for honoring those of us whose children have died abroad and preventing others from needlessly having to endure the worst loss through their noble work.


Written by Dr. Ken Druck, Jenna's father.

Morgan Boisson

Born in Montpellier, France, Morgan had been on three continents before he was three weeks old: North America where his maternal grandparents lived, Africa where his paternal grandparents lived and Europe where his immediate family lived. At seven, Morgan moved to the U.S. with his parents and two younger sisters. Morgan had an unrivaled love of life. He excelled at anything he tried. He began studying Judo when he was four, earning his black belt in Tae Kwan Do at the age of 11. He was active in track (discuss and shot put) and football. As a senior in high school, Morgan was an integral defensive lineman on the Cactus Shadow football team. Morgan was one of two recipients of the Marine Corps Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for Cactus Shadows. After graduating from high school, Morgan attended college at the University of Arizona, where he joined the cheerleading squad. Bilingual in English and French, he decided to major in East Asian Studies/Chinese after spending his sophomore year in Nanjing, China. While Morgan was in China, he participated in pre-Olympic games through his university where he placed first in shot put out of students from thirty other participating schools.

The summer before he died, Morgan spent six weeks studying and traveling in France with a college exchange program. He returned to China that fall to study again in Nanjing through the University of Arizona. His group planned a trip to Tibet and Morgan was thrilled to participate. While ascending to 19,000 feet to reach a base camp at Mt. Everest, Morgan suffered from severe altitude sickness. With no medical attention and no way to get him down the mountain quickly, he passed away on October 20^th, 2009.

Morgan's death was senseless and avoidable.  If there had been better safeguards in place for these students studying abroad, Morgan would never have died.  It is wonderful that the ClearCause Foundation serves as an advocate for our children while they are far from home.

Morgan is missed by all of his friends and family, especially by his two younger sisters who miss his gentle teasing and kind good nature. He was the protector of the weak and the life of every social event. Morgan was everyone's friend. His amazing bear hugs gave him the nickname “Big Bear”. He hugs me from the inside whenever I feel down. He had a positive impact on everyone he ever met. His friends and family were blessed by every moment they had with him. Thank you, Morgan, for being such a wonderful son.

Elizabeth Boisson

Andrew Pochter

Kenyon College
AMIDEST
Alexandria, Egypt
June 28, 2013

Andrew Pochter, a 21-year-old American student from Kenyon College in Gamier, Ohio, was killed during a street protest in Alexandria, Egypt on June 28, 2013. Andrew was stabbed in the chest in a political protest over the country’s president, Mohamed Morsi. He was pronounced dead at a military hospital shortly after, the New York Times article reported.

Andrew left for Egypt on May 28, 2013 and planned to stay there for three months. He was an intern at AMIDEST, an American non-profit organization working in international education, training and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa. “The AMIDEAST internship is not a Kenyon program,” Kenyon’s website reported.

The same day that Andrew died, the United States Department of State put up a warning Friday on their website. The warning told U.S. citizens traveling to or living in Egypt to “defer non-essential travel to Egypt at this time due to the continuing possibility of political and social unrest.” The warning also “strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all demonstrations in Egypt, as even peaceful ones can quickly become violent, and a foreigner could become a target of harassment or worse.”

Andrew was living in an Egyptian home and teaching English to Egyptian children. Other cultures and languages fascinated him. Andrew was planning on studying in Jordan after his time in Egypt to become fluent in Arabic and to gain a better understanding of the political and religious dynamics of the Middle East.

“As we understand it, he was witnessing a protest as a bystander and was stabbed by a protester. He went to Egypt because he cared profoundly about the Middle East and he planned to live and work there in the pursuit of peace and understanding,” the family said in a statement. “Andrew was a wonderful young man looking for new experiences in the world and finding ways to share his talents while he learned.”

A religious studies major, Andrew was co-manager of Hillel House and was a member of the Middle East Students Association, according to the Kenyon College’s tribute to Andrew on their website. He was also the philanthropy chair for his fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi.

“He was one of the rare kids who lived what he believed,” said Marc Bragin, Hillel director and Jewish chaplain at Kenyon. “His belief was that everyone should be included, everyone had a voice and no one should be left out because what they think is different than what others think.”

Kenyon President S. Georgia Nugent said in a statement, “It is always a tragedy for a young person to lose his or her life prematurely. Andrew’s death is especially troubling, resulting as it did from the political violence that plagues our world today. As I step down from the presidency of the College tomorrow, I can only hope that Andrew’s loss will lead members of the Kenyon community to re-dedicate themselves to seeking and fostering peace in whatever ways they can.”

Sheryl Hill, founder of ClearCause, remarked on ABC News' video reporting Andrew's death. She said, "Students don't need to be placed in the midst of study abroad opportunities and civil unrest. There are more prudent methods to shape peace. Naive study abroad program directors should put their kids out front first."

Thomas Plotkin

University of Iowa
National Outdoor Leadership School
September 22,2011
Uttarakhand, India

Thomas smiled easily, worked hard, listened well, and hugged often. Growing up, Tom played club hockey for the La Jolla Jaguars (MVP), then varsity for Hopkins High School (Minnesota), and club for University of Iowa. Tom declared himself an economics major at the University of Iowa. He was interested in the environment, sustainable development, and social justice. He imagined a better world beginning with 3-stage composters, which he could build.
Thomas was 20 years old when he left on August 22, 2011 to study abroad in India with National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). One month later, Tom was dead. The following year, NOLS issued their report about the “presumed death of Thomas Plotkin.” The students who had traveled with Thomas began to tell what they knew.
They reported that Thomas suffered a catastrophic fall on September 22, 2011, in the Milam Valley of Uttarakhand, India. Moments before Thomas’ death, he took the lead position on a hiking trail. The ten students hiked a 6-foot wide ledge, over a nearly 300-foot drop, into a Class V river at flood stage. Thomas’ left boot slipped on a wet rock and he landed on his back, momentarily half-on-half-off the trail. His backpack pulled him over the edge and he plunged headfirst into the Gori Ganga River. Four hours later, our family was called. NOLS said, “Thomas has sustained an unsurvivable fall.”
A journalist who covered Thomas’ death for University of Iowa’s newspaper discovered that there was a border patrol less than a mile from the spot where Thomas fell. NOLS did not notify them, claiming their philosophy of “self-sustenance.”
Months after Thomas’ death, NOLS risk management director compiled a report. He remained in his Wyoming office, using source documents our family will not be permitted to see without first signing a “settlement agreement and release.”  The report discounts these factors leading to Thomas’ death: insufficient calorie intake; backpack weight; condition of the trail; weather; fatigue; inexperience of students; absent guides; diminished daylight; lack of equipment for emergency rescue; delayed notification of local authorities (police and U.S Embassy); and condition of the river. NOLS’ report states, “…it was appropriate for NOLS to allow the students to hike on this trail in these conditions on this day with these packs without instructors in the group.” NOLS continues, “Tom understood the risks inherent on this course and chose to participate,” and concludes, “We will use this knowledge to convey to our future students the importance of their acts and actions.” The Indian Magistry issued its own report stating that it is not prudent to be on the trails during monsoon season.
Our family later learned that our child was NOLS’ 12^th death. Thomas’ body was never found.
The study abroad industry has grown exponentially.  It has grown with the financial support of parents who want the best for their children. ClearCause advocates for qualifications, oversight, standards, transparency and accountability in study abroad programs so deaths like Thomas’ can be prevented.
We applaud the University of Iowa for sanctioning NOLS and no longer accepting credits for NOLS programs. Never again should student travel programs be permitted to market themselves without full disclosure. Programs cannot be allowed to investigate themselves after tragic outcomes. Future students and their parents will only be able to make truly informed decisions when all data about study abroad is available.
Elizabeth Brenner, mother of Thomas

Watch the video below to learn more about Thomas' story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfD0ZKt4e2w

Justin Johnston

June 2, 2011

Costa Rica

Justin Johnston was an exceptional, outgoing and charismatic 16-year-old youth who cared about helping others. He made our days brighter with his free and lighthearted spirit, personable smile and ever present “thumbs up”. He was an honor roll student and participated in cross-country and power lifting. He received the runner up state medal for bench press his sophomore year. Baseball was his passion. Justin was also serious about Catholic faith . He was a regular Scripture reader at Sunday mass. One of the last scriptures he read, a week and a half before his death, was this: “Select from among you…. reputable men filled with the Spirit” and “a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit.” These Scriptures describe Justin well.

Justin had planned to attend the University of Kansas with the desire to study forensics, criminal law, or police work. He truly was an all American boy who lived his life to its fullest. He made an indelible impression on all of our hearts, always with one or two thumbs up, until the morning of June 2, 2011.

On May 30, 2011, Justin and his high school Spanish class left for Costa Rica. The trip was booked with EF Tours and was supposed to be a trip of a lifetime – safe, but full of fun and adventure. Tragedy struck a few days later while the group was staying in the city of La Fortuna de San Carlos. Justin and another student were heading back to their hotel room when Justin was fatally shot by a hotel security guard. We found out later that the guard who shot Justin was actually an illegal immigrant from Nicaragua with no security training, no uniform and no license to possess a firearm.  How could this happen?  A Costa Rican court convicted the guard of homicide with 15 years in prison. It has been appealed with a new trial issued. No date has been set yet.

We had hopes that the court’s decision would send a strong message to the hotel and tourism industry in Costa Rica to comply with the laws designed to protect the safety and welfare of both tourists and citizens alike. We want to prevent another senseless act causing death. We hope no other parent will experience the anguish of losing a child on an educational trip abroad. Justin’s death was caused by failure to comply with basic laws.

We are suing EF Tours because the lack of adequate emergency medical resources in Costa Rica caused a delay in obtaining medical emergency case treatment for Justin. This contributed to his death. EF Tours either knew or should have known that emergency medical services in Costa Rica are not as readily available as they are in the United States.

ClearCause gives us a chance to make a difference. Parents need to be aware of tour companies’ safety records before sending their kids abroad. Federal laws need to be created to hold the tour companies responsible to protect our students. Safety is NOT an accident.

Justin will remain in our hearts and our lives as a divine and powerful influence.


Wendi Johnston, Justin’s mother