Jeremy Stoltzfus was described as one of the nicest guys ever met by his friend Ben Swartz.
Stoltzfus, West Virginia University pharmacy student and Pennsylvania native, 22, died Jan. 8 of head trauma while in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Konica Minolta Gator Bowl game.
Police responded to a report of an intoxicated person Jan. 2 at approximately 7:30 a.m. in Jacksonville Beach, said Sergeant Tom Bingham of the Jacksonville Beach Police.
"It’s just a lot of missing pieces. I wish we knew more about the events of the night," Swartz, a third-year pharmacy student, said.
Stoltzfus was out with a group of friends Jan. 1 in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., when his friends "just kind of lost track of him," Swartz said.
Stoltzfus got separated or wandered off, and the group couldn’t find him and he didn’t have his cell phone on him, said Dave Eplin, another friend and third-year pharmacy student.
Swartz and Eplin were not in the group out with Stoltzfus.
"We didn’t catch up with him until the next day in the hospital," Swartz said.
Stoltzfus’ blood alcohol content level was 0.353 when police found him. He was transferred to a local hospital, Bingham said.
"He was standing but was not able to answer questions about who he was," he said.
In the local hospital, it was determined Stoltzfus had suffered head trauma, and he was transferred to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, Bingham said.
Eplin picked up Stoltzfus’ parents, Dale and Beth, from the airport and took them to the hospital, Swartz said.
Although he had never met them before, Swartz said Stoltzfus’ parents were "very supportive."
"Jeremy had a very loving and caring family," Swartz said. "His parents were some of the nicest people I’ve ever known. I can see where (Jeremy) gets it."
A brain scan determined Stoltzfus had no brain activity Jan. 8 and since he was avid about being an organ donor to help others, he was taken off life support, Eplin said.
"He fought like he always did. He was a fighter," Eplin said. "He fought for like five or six days."
Easy going, fun guy, dependable, tremendous person, outstanding human being and an avid Mountaineer sports fan are other words Swartz used to describe Stoltzfus.
"I wouldn’t really say that about most people I know, but he’s worthy of all that," Swartz said. "It’s really such a tragic loss in my eyes."
Eplin added Stoltzfus was a very "upbeat, happy guy."
"He would do anything for you. The thing I’ve been thinking about a lot is he was a very loyal friend. That was very important to him," Eplin said.
"This sort of tragedy couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy."
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