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At least once a year, somewhere in the country, hazing ends in tragedy. On the same weekend that we were shooting our "What Would You Do?" scenario in November, a student died at a fraternity party at the University of Delaware. The 18-year-old freshman was a pledge.
Kate Ferrari and Ron Kellner, who both happened upon our staged scenario, had heard the news about the student's death, and weren't willing to let the same tragic event happen in their own town. They jumped right in when they noticed the hazing.
"You know a kid just died this weekend?" asked Ferrari.
"Pick them up off the ground and take them f**king home before somebody dies!" demanded Kellner.
Another passerby, Katharine Tischer, also tried to stop the hazing.
"Have you ever been part of a sorority?" the pledge master asked her.
"No, I wouldn't put myself though this!" said Tischer, "How can they trust you guys if you beat them and humiliate them?"
"Because they are our pledges!" responded the pledge master. "It's none of your business."
When we later revealed to Tischer what was really going on, tears started streaming down her face.
"You had the guts to approach all these young men who looked pretty threatening ... why?" Quinones asked.
"It was wrong!" said Tischer. "I couldn't stand looking at it, it's wrong! People should stand up for something like that."
Tischer was 17 years old and had never been in a sorority, but our staged scenario hit too close to home.
"I've been made fun of since middle school and I don't want other people to degrade themselves like that just to be part of some friends." she explained. "They're not friends if they make you go through that."