No matter how you phrase it your comments are insensitive. Your glass house must be made of very thick walls. I too have a college age child who was a friend of Randall's. Please think of all Randall's friends feelings the next time you feel the need to label a child.

You must have a heart of stone to have written such a cold and insensitive article for a grieving family who has just lost a precious loving young member of their family to read. I am not defending drinking however, how many of us can say that we or a close loved one has not had too much to drink at some time? My sympathy is to this family who has had a tremendous loss and now has to read your rantings. My sypathy is also for your daughter. You have put her in a vunerable situation with defending your remarks to her peers which there is no defense.

1. It is not up to you, your daughter or any of us to label or judge Randall at age 20. Randall touched more lives in his short time on earth than many of us with a lot longer life span ever will. He was an important part of the Wofford community so what does that say to you?
2. You should hold your judgements about culpibility until you know all the facts...don't assume you know them.
3. I am shocked that you think because Randall or any student happened to have been drinking the night of a medical emergency that excuses or voids that students right to appropriate medical care.
4. What was Randall's bad judgement? Deciding to eat pizza instead of heading to bed at 11:15 on a Friday night? Please read my comments below regarding his cause and manner of death.
It might be time for some self reflection.

MAC.
Your referring to Randall as "Mr.Heffron" is a nice attempt to make him appear as something other than someone's child...the fact is he was a young adult who was enrolled and living on a college campus. He left the safe environment of a home and community where in the event of a medical emergency his family and friends would have been thinking first and foremost about getting him appropriate care for the real cause of his distress, There is a certain expectation on the part of a parent and a student that safety standards are maintained and monitored when you are living in a college owned dormitory...that is a reasonable expectation. There is a level of responsibility on the part of a college that cannot be denied and should not be shifted to the student. Referring to Randall by anything other than his name does not change that...nor does it change the fact that at the end of the day he was my child. If this happened to your child maybe you would see things differently. Furthermore, in terms of support...we have been pretty kind to Wofford as well considering my child lost his life on that campus. I guess it all depends on what seat you are sitting in on this journey called life. If you were in my seat perhaps you would have a different perspective.

MAC,
FYI...Randall chose to attend Wofford College because it fit his life goals which at the time were to play Division I college tennis at an academically challenging school because he had hoped to attend dental school following graduation. His goals were clear and focused. I don't think you can have those life goals at age 20 and expect to "party" every night...nor do I think you can reach his level of success and accomplishment if that was a priority. Your "understanding" of Randall is unwarranted and inappropriate. I do think it was important to Randall to enjoy life and his college experience. I wish you could have known him. He was an amazing human being with limitless potential because of the way he treated people. The world will miss out on Randall and so will you. One of his greatest gifts was that he never judged others...I don't believe I ever heard him say an unkind word about anyone! I am sorry you will not have the chance to learn from him.

Please see my comments below...Randall was 6'2 and weighed 192 lbs...your information is a little off. Your statement about consuming the alcohol in an hour is puzzling and not relevant.

John,
Please see my comments to "Mac". Please also see my comments below. You should never assume that every article is factual or that every Coroner has a medical background. Randall was taught right from wrong and he did "get it". His friends were with him that night and had also had been enjoying a typical Friday night on campus. The issues and conversations regarding underage drinking are complicated but judging Randall does not make things better especially when we are talking about the safety of our children in college dorms where medical emergencies are concerned...note: the cause and manner of death.

Dawn, I would like to talk with you further about your comments on this article. Especially the unigo.com. Thank you.

^^^^ Everyone needs to read this... especially the part about student activities.

We have been researching colleges and came across this site when typing in "wofford". First, my prayers are with the family for losing such a caring son, brother, and grandson. But after reading the review in that link, and the comments here, I am having serious concerns about my daughter's safety if she were to attend this college. From the user review: "If you don't drink, don't come to Wofford College. That should be the first thing that is said on the tours of the school. Social life is 110 percent centered around drinking. If you don't drink, you're an outcast at Wofford. Saying no to a beer (served freely to minors at every frat party, every single friday and saturday night), is like slapping someone in the face. And don't even think about even rushing a sorority/fraternity if you don't drink. As for drugs, there's a large use of non-prescribed pill usage on campus (vicodin, xanax, adderall, etc). The main parties happen on weekends, at The Row (where, again, MINORS ARE SERVED ALCOHOL, EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. AT EVERY SINGLE FRATERNITY HOUSE PARTY). But, that being said, students also 'party' in their rooms. And by party, I mean drink with small groups of people. The drinking on this campus is out of control. The rule is that RAs can't check drawers or fridges, so obviously they're stocked with beer, four loko, and various kinds of hard liquor. Students drink in their rooms, by themselves. It's unsafe, and quite frankly, very very sad."

(continued) Other comments here refer to this as a "typical Friday night on campus", and serious concerns exist if proper care was taken and this tragedy could have been prevented.

Should we look elsewhere in our search for the right college??

I agree with UUU - EVERYONE needs to read this about Wofford. Does anyone have any idea who wrote these comments on Unigo?

I understand that the background of the campus safety officers on campus is military in training and wondered if anyone knew what qualified them to investigate a death, rape or any other serious or potential criminal event on campus? More importantly, what qualifies them to render medical care in the event of a medical emergency? It sounds like campus safety made the 911 call and then got the investigation back as the investigating arm. I wondered who would have to make the decision to have an outside agency investigate? This poor grieving mother/family? The Board of Trustees? The Coroner's office? Just thought you might have the inside track.

The problem is, and always has been, the elitist attitude surrounding Wofford College. Wofford students have been allowed for years to break laws that all others are held accountable. Currently there are billboards around Spartanburg showing individuals that have been fined over $10,000 for allowing underage drinking. Students at other schools are arrested in their own apartments and homes for underage drinking. But at Wofford, it has always been known that it was freely allowed on campus. Now an underage Wofford student dies and there is no investigation into where he obtained the alcohol. Students at SCC, USCU, and SMC have been charged for open container, handing a beer to another, and even having unopened alcohol in their possession. Bar owners are harassed over underage drinking, with the city sending in underage undercover agents with fake IDs to arrest bartenders and bar owners. Again the hypocrisy known as Wofford defines the inequalities in Spartanburg, proving once it again that in Spartanburg it all comes down to who you know. And speaking of who you know, rumor is that it is widely known who provided the alcohol, but he is a "good boy" so nothing will be done.