My son, Raheem, died of aspiration pneumonia in 1999 following a binge drinking incident. Raheem was in his junior year pursuing a double major in Engineering and Economics at Duke University when he died. At first his death was billed as "overwhelming pneumonia", but two months later, when another student landed in the same hospital with the same condition, alarmed Duke University administrators went public with the real cause of his death.

Raheem’s death spurred a flurry of media attention over lax administrative college policies and the inadequacies of programs addressing student alcohol-related problems on campus. My son's death becoming so public forced me into making a decision whether or not to talk to the press. I decided to talk in an effort to spare other parents the nightmare of losing a child to alcohol-related causes.

When my son died, I looked for someone to blame, but after looking deeply and sincerely into my heart I realized that if I wanted to blame anybody it would be American Society for condoning drinking. You're not cool if you don't drink. That is the way it is for the most part, and all the beer advertising paints a glamorous picture of alcohol. It is dangerous, especially in excess!

I never thought I could lose my only son. Nothing in my life had prepared me for the nightmare of losing my wonderful boy! Raheem was a handsome, brilliant young man. He was my joy. I have a deep understanding of the "It can't happen to me" mentality - because I had it! I never dreamed that I would lose a child - that happened in other families, not in mine.

I feel that God has given me the opportunity to deal with my personal tragedy by becoming an advocate for societal change in attitudes toward alcohol. Security on Campus, Inc. provides the support for me to honor my son's memory by becoming an agent of positive change.