Student found dead at Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity

Unless you have something positive to say, to memorialize the victim of this tragedy, then you do not need to say it. We do not need lots of unfounded and unappreciated comments about this. This is a horrible situation for everyone involved. My thoughts go out to the friends and family of this Spartan.

What a tragic event. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire AGR family.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. As a neighbor and a 4H fellow member we are deeply saddened by this tragic event.

http://www.lenconnect.com/obituaries/x1682933690/Brian-Charles-McMillen

I am pleased to see that the vultures have stayed away this time, and hopefully learned from the horrible lesson that the Ryan Rosman situation taught us. If you don’t have anything positive to say, then don not say anything.

Times like these can best be used for reflection on the fleeting and precious nature of life. In an instant, it can be taken away from any one of us. As we approach Thanksgiving, my prayer is that everyone who read this article considers that for which they are grateful, and the gift of life that they still have.

I take it as an offense when friends or family of the victim tell us all not to comment about these deaths. This especially goes when the deaths are cause by the victim’s poor decision making.

In this case, a not uncommon cause of over-drinking is the apparent cause. This is a serious subject on college campuses due to a combination of party atmosphere, immaturity, and students being free of parental control. If we cannot discuss the role bad decision making played in it, then we might as well not print this story at all.

This over sensitivity to the family has manifested itself in bizarre ways. Some went as far as to criticize the State News for publishing corner’s comments regarding why a student drank methanol that killed him.

http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/report_methanol_poisoning_caused_death_of_msu_senior

I understand some people are insensitive, but don’t try to block honest inquiry into the cause of this. Sometimes people make poor decisions with bad consequences. If we are blocked from looking into it, then how are we to explore ways to stop these preventable deaths from happening?

I am very saddened by the death of Brian and it makes everyone realize the need to live every day as your last. He was a very bright student and will be missed by everyone that knew him. He, his family at home and at school will be in my thoughts and prayers.

That being said, I am very disturbed by the fact that AGR has issued the statement that “there was no social function at the Fraternity that night.” Many people know there was a party and bar crawl. I guess I might be a little naive to what a “social event” is but in my book those would be considered social events.

My point was simply that speculating about this particular death and this particular student serves no purpose. Neither would sharing personal information about what happened, since there will not be any fair way to challenge anything said here. However, it IS fair to talk about the potential issues related (e.g., alcohol abuse), as long as it is done with FACTS and not emotionally charged blaming.

A terrible tragedy indeed. However, it was a preventable one (assuming it was alcohol related).

Choosing not to discuss the preventability of it only leads to more unnecessary loss of life. Frankly this story isn’t a memorial to him and I would hope he would want something proactive to come from his tragic death.

If there are no results yet, how come they always jump to this conclusion? I am not saying alcohol was not a factor, but that is always the first thing assumed with college students

Prayers to the family and friends

Don’t jump to conclusions. He could have had a prexisting heart condition or possibly some adverse reaction/interaction to one or more medications. We owe it to whomever died to discuss the circumstances, but only when we know them.

The death of such an intelligent young man is such a tragedy; I can’t even begin to fathom what his parents and family are experiencing right now and my heart goes out to them.

To “please DO comment”, while your intentions are good, this is NOT the place to write about the maturity of the student involved, especially when you obviously weren’t close to him. As someone who went to school with Brian (and his younger brother), I know first hand just how smart he was. He graduated second in his class from AHS and enjoyed a successful career at MSU.

While I agree that alcohol can pose a problem, especially for freshmen and those less experienced with drinking, Brian was a man of legal drinking age and was not what you would consider a problem drinker. Your statements about his immaturity and lack of parental control make very clear just how insensitive and cruel you are. As is said above and daily, if you have nothing nice to say, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL.

To John, I agree with you entirely. Thank you for being the mature one here.

Brian, you will be greatly missed by many. Rest In Peace.

If you want to join a Frat house it’s your choice. Choose your friend’s wisely is the old saying. However, to blame MSU for individuals bad desicions is just plan stupid.

MSU needs to do away with the Greek system. The 2 latest incidents should be the death blow. The Greek system is a haven for people without the “people skills” to make friends to seek validation from a bunch of (similarly situated) socially inept idiots. MSU needs to take the blame for EVEN allowing the Greeks a place on their campus!

As somebody who knows several of the AGR brothers, it deeply saddens me to hear someone generalize all fraternity members into one group. Those members of AGR that I know are respectable men who are involved in university activities outside of AGR and very hard working which I am sure is symbolic of the fraternity as a whole. Brian was an extremely intelligent person who was the victim of a horrible accident. Instead of being accusatory, you should honor a fellow spartan, and show support for his mourning brothers.

John – Thanksgiving has nothing to do with prayers.

RIP Brian.

I cant beleive the lack of respect that a lot of people are showing to this young man, his family and his friends. The article says alcohol was a factor but toxicology reports are not back. Word from the hospitol is that his BAC wasnt high enough to cause death!
However even if it was that makes no excuse to criticize MSU or the Greek system!!! Just because the public has clouded you judgement with a very poor stereotype of what a fraternity is does not mean the stereotype is correct and acurate. Some of the most successful leaders in the US were members of fraternities. A fraternity teaches valuable principles (at least a good one)! Stop blaming MSU, the greek system, or this fraternity! This was an accident and until the results of the autopsy are realeased please dont make generalizations. Imagine if it was one of your friends or family memebers that this happened to!

I would just like to say that Brian’s death was shocking and horrifying. It was a complete wake up call to me that this could happen to literally anyone. Whether it is your sister, boyfriend, or neighbor. Brian was very smart, talented, and a genuinely nice farm boy. He had an amazing, supportive family that I’m sure is hurting right now (my prayers are with you).

I know it’s easy to wave a finger at him or the frat, especially when you don’t know him, but try to see how scary this is. Put yourself in his friends and families shoes. He was not a “punk” by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe we just need to slow down and look out for each other.

The Greek system encourages this kind of thing. It encourages binge drinking, out of control excursions that lead to people with MIPs hiding from the cops and rape. These are not “unfounded stereotypes” they are REALITY. If it wasn’t for the Greek system at MSU, Ryan and Brian would be alive. Think about that!

“The article says alcohol was a factor but toxicology reports are not back. Word from the hospitol is that his BAC wasnt high enough to cause death!”

So police who are investigating know less than someone who gave “word from the hospital?” Toxicology isn’t in but someone released his BAC? Waffle much?

Alcohol can be involved without alcohol poisoning being the cause of death. Alcohol can interact with legal prescription medicines, pre-existing conditions, or even cause someone to aspirate food or liquid and choke to death.

I agree, don’t jump to conclusions – including assuming that police investigating this incident have no idea what’s going on. This young man’s high school and freshman year don’t matter here – it’s what happened in the 24 hours before his death that do. Let’s hope that the answers are uncovered.

It’s not a coincidence these deaths and the greek system find themselves in the same story more often than not.

And to those of you who don’t like the “generalizing” of your frats, maybe you should keep yourselves in check because you’re sinking the reputation of MSU and furthering the “partying over academics” reputation.

alcohol can contribute to death without alcohol poisoning being the COD. choking on vomit, interaction with ‘scrips, etc…
good point. the fact is, drinking DIDN’T help the situation.

I believe that Brian choked on his own vomit and died. One of my friends just about died from choking on his own vomit. If it wasn’t for his 68 year old dad hearing him choking on his own vomit and turning his body over he would be dead today. You don’t have to be part of the Greek community to get drunk. There are plenty of bars in the area.

“these deaths and the Greek system find themselves in the same story”

If it weren’t for the Greek system at MSU—Ryan Rosman and Brian McMillen would be alive to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. That is SIMPLY a fact.

This is crazy talk. There are Greek systems at EVERY SCHOOL, even the smallest of schools. Most the people making these comments must have had A.) a bad experience at a frat/ sorority. or B.)
believe everything they see about Frat’s in the movies/ tv, and have never been to a university.

What goes on at Frat’s goes on at house parties, dorms, the bars, and even at parties of people who aren’t in school!

There is never an article about all the community service and money raise by the Greek system. Never about the students in general and all they contribute to the area.

Also, I was never in a Frat, but come on! Someone lost their life.