Four years ago, Corey Hausman died after falling from his skateboard on a steep path at the University of Colorado. A freshman, he had graduated from Staples High School just 3 months earlier.
His parents and 2 older siblings mourned the loss of the bright, energetic runner and skier.
Then — determined to make something good out of the tragedy — they went to work.
They formed College911. The non-profit helps prepare college students for medical emergencies, while improving campus safety.
Corey’s mother Nanette spearheaded an effort in the Connecticut General Assembly to make universities safer, by ensuring that serious incidents are included in their safety reports.
Corey Hausman and his mother Nanette.
Now the initative has gone national.
Connecticut Representatives Jim Himes and Joe Courtney introduced House Bill 8406 this year. The “COREY Safety Act of 2022” would require colleges nationwide to report campus accidents that result in the serious injury or death of students.
They include “transportation incidents (on foot, bikes, scooters, skateboards, longboards or cars), ground level and high height slips and falls, alcohol or drug overdoses and choking or drowning,” ABC News says.
The bill’s name is an acronym for the College Operational Reporting of Emergencies Involving Teens and Young Adults. Of course, it’s also an homage to Corey Hausman.
Last week, it was referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
The Hausmans say that CU knew the area where Corey was skateboarding was unsafe. In addition, he was taken to a community care center after his accident — but died 7 hours later. A transfer to a Level 1 trauma facility was not considered.
Nanette Hausman says that right now, colleges are required to report only crimes and fires. However, accidents are the leading cause of college deaths.
(Click here for a full story from ABC News. Click here for more information on the bill. Click here for the College9111.net Medical Emergency Checklists for parents and college students. Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell)
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Corey Hausman (center) with his brothers Lucas (left) and Casey.
Lynsey Addario — the 1991 Staples High School Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist — is usually behind the camera.
Now the BBC has turned its lens on her. The international describes her this way, for its profile of her:
“She took the defining picture of Putin’s war so far: a family killed by Russian troops as they tried to flee to safety. The US photojournalist Lynsey Addario has reported from almost every major conflict in the 21st century, and now she is on the ground in Ukraine, documenting suspected war crimes.
“Lynsey Addario — who reported on the Taliban before most of the western world knew who they were — has borne witness to war, humanitarian disaster and the worst effects of climate change. She has been kidnapped three times, but still keeps returning to conflict zones. Mark Coles profiles the award-winning photographer whose images continue to make the front pages.”
Click here for this in-depth look at a true Westport — and international — hero. (With a bonus: interviews with her mother Camille, and older sisters Lauren, Lisa and Leslie.)
Congratulations to the Staples boys indoor track sprint medley relay team.
They finished 6th in the US last night, at the national high school meet in the New York Armory.
Samir Mott (200 meter leg), David Sedrak (200), Bruno Guiduli (400) and Jalen St. Fort (800) roared to a 3:35.43. That earns them All-American status — and fame that will last far beyond that very fast race.
Indoor track All-Americans (from left): Samir Mott, David Sedrak, Bruno Guiduli, Jalen St. Fort. (Photo/Barry Guiduli)
In 2018, freshman Corey Hausman died in a skateboarding accident at the University of Colorado. A varsity skier and track athlete, he had graduated from Staples High School just 3 month earlier.
At its banquet last week, the Staples ski team inaugurated the Corey Hausman Award. It will be presented each year to the senior racer who best epitomizes his special spirit, through a love for skiing, the desire to improve, a willingness to work and the ability to inspire others.
Olivia Marshall was the first recipient. Corey’s family presented the award, with coaches Rebecca Anderson-Furlong and Tom Owen.
Corey’s memory continues to be honored through College911.net and the College Safety Coalition. Both projects — initiated by the Hausman family — help make the college experience as safe as possible for everyone. (Hat tip: Michelle Howard)
From left: Coach Tom Owen, Olivia Marshall, Coach Rebecca Anderson-Furlong, Corey’s parents Nanette and Joel Hausman, and Corey’s good friend Michael Valarie.
It was standing room only at Betsy Pollak’s bird feeder. This impressive “pecking order” makes for quite a “Westport … (okay, Weston) … Naturally” photo.
And finally … Bobbie Nelson — Willie’s sister, his longtime pianist and an important influence on him — died Thursday in Austin. She was 91. (Click here for a full obituary.)
Comments Off on Roundup: Lynsey Addario, Track All-Americans, Martha Stewart …
The Hausmans’ life changed forever. Now — thanks in large part to Corey’s mom Nanette — other lives may not change in that tragic way.
Aimee Monroy Smith writes:
This past legislative session, Nanette Hausman spearheaded an effort to make colleges and universities safer, by ensuring that serious safety incidents are included as part of their safety reports.
Corey Hausman (center) with Lucas (left) and Casey (right): “The Brothers.”
This effort required the arduous process of finding legislators to sponsor a bill (which Annette did with our 2 state senators, Will Haskell and Tony Hwang). and advocating for it throughout committee hearings and chamber votes.
Every year, many good bills are raised but never get through the process. They either die in committee, or on a chamber calendar.
Nanette’s advocacy not only brought the bill to a floor vote on the last day of this session; she also galvanized the support of Jason Rojas, the majority leader and likely the most sought after individual on that hectic last day.
Nanette’s advocacy and compassion are remarkable. As someone who has worked in government relations for 20 years, I am inspired by her efforts. They serve as an important reminder about the power of a parent’s story.
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email dwoog@optonline.net. Hat tip: Jeff Mitchell.)
Joel and Nanette Hausman have lived in Westport for 30 years. Their 3 sons — Lucas, Casey and Corey — were excellent athletes at Staples High School. All worked during that time too, flipping burgers and filling gas tanks.
In September of 2018, Corey died in a skateboarding accident at the University of Colorado. He had begun his freshman year just 15 days earlier.
Corey Hausman (center) with Lucas (left) and Casey (right): “The Brothers.”
After his death, his family created College911.net. The organization has 2 goals: reform college safety, and educate students and parents about emergency medical procedures.
The Hausmans did not know they could have taken steps that could have saved them from the tragedy. They want others to be ready, when their children move away from home.
“This initiative will lead to more informed student decisions, and help families be better prepared as medical emergencies arise,” they says.
They believe that transparency will enable public health agencies to use evidence-based data to support accident prevention recommendations.
In addition, colleges will be incentivized to increase investment in infrastructure and safety programs, and establish emergency protocols to include access to the best possible student emergency medical care.
In the legislative realm, College911 has launched a petition to:
Require colleges to publicly report all serious accidents (911 calls) and student deaths on or near campuses (while protecting student and family privacy)
Adopt protocols to ensure students have access to the best possible emergency care (Trauma Level 1), and
Require college websites to post the college-associated and other relevant health facilities (name, website/link) that provide emergency medical services to students in response to 911 calls, and (b) if this facility is not a Trauma-1, post the location of nearest Trauma-1 facility.
A proposed bill is moving through the Connecticut Legislature. It has bipartisan support, including from area lawmakers.
In addition, College911 created a Medical Emergency Checklist. It includes information for students on what they need to know once they turn 18 about their medical care (such as what information to always carry, and how to set up a smartphone health app), and for parents on what to consider before getting a call that their son or daughter needs emergency care.
Click here for the checklist. Click here for more information. To learn more or to help, email info@College911.net.
The Board of Education meets tonight at 7 p.m. The Zoom meeting includes 2 important agenda items: superintendent of schools Tom Scarice’s recommendation for reopening, and proposed changes to the calendar.
The session will be livestreamed on westportps.org, and televised on Optimum channel 78 and Frontier channel 6021.
Avery Place — a main component of downtown — has finally been cleared of wires, limbs and debris. More than a week after Tropical Storm Isiais, power has been restored to the area.
But, as photographer Wendy Cusick notes, vines are killing trees here, and throughout Fairfield County. And when high winds roar in, they can help kill utility poles too.
(Photo/Wendy Cusick)
This will send goosebumps down the spines of many youngsters:
R.L. Stine — the bestselling horror story kids’ author — will be the final speaker in the Westport Library’s Camp Explore program.
The virtual (and free!) event — open to anyone, anywhere with an internet connection — is set for this Tuesday (August 18, 4 p.m.).
Click here to register for Stine’s appearance — and click here to watch all previous Camp Explore events.
In the aftermath of Eversource’s twin public relations disasters — a rate hike, and a belated response to Tropical Storm Isaias — State Senator Will Haskell says:
“Public utilities need to be monitored closely, and both legislators and members of the public have a role to play in holding Eversource accountable. The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority is holding a public hearing (via Zoom) on Monday (August 24, 10 a.m.),
“I encourage anyone interested to submit testimony and join me in standing up to this monopoly that too often lets customers down. This isn’t about one neighborhood left behind or the unpredictability of New England weather — this is about a company that makes billions in profits yet fails to prepare for a storm that announced itself days in advance of arriving in our backyard.
“To submit testimony, email comments to pura.information@ct.gov (mention Docket #20-01-01 in the subject line), or mail them to: Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051.
To attend or participate in the Zoom hearing, click this link.
Manna Toast has been open just a couple of weeks. But already they’re expanding their Church Lane hours — and adding music.
They’re open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Entertainment this weekend includes Henry Jones (Friday, August 14, 6 to 9 p.m.), Suzanne Sheridan & Friends (Saturday, August 15, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.), and Wass (Melissa Wasserman, Sunday brunch, August 16, 12 to 2 p.m.).
Here’s a toast to a new Westport tradition!
Carole Bernstein did her civic duty on Tuesday: She voted in the state primary election.
Two days before, 3 cars — parked in her driveway — were broken into. She’s not alone. She’s seen plenty of Ring videos posted online, showing near-daily brazen break-ins. She’s read several warnings, by town and police officials, to never leave anything visible in your car.
So Carole was quite surprised to see several signs at the Bedford Middle School polling place, telling voters to “leave purses and backpacks in your locked vehicle.”
What’s the reason for the signs? What’s wrong with bringing a purse or backpack into the voting station (which is no longer even a booth — it’s open, for all to see).
Is it a COVID-related rule? If so, what’s the theory behind it? Even so, doesn’t it contradict everything we’re hearing about vehicle safety?
I vote for purses and backpacks in the polling place!
Two years ago — just 15 days after arriving at the University of Colorado — recent Staples High School graduate Corey Hausman died in a tragic skateboard accident on a steep campus pathway. He was unsuccessfully treated at a local medical facility. It was the 3rd college death of the new semester.
Since then, his family has been involved in College911.net. Among their projects: creating a medical emergency checklist with questions and suggestions his family wishes they had considered while sending Corey off to college.
Some of the items pertain to students (“Did you sign a HIPAA release providing a family member rights to access medical records? Do you carry a medical alert card or ID with emergency contacts, in case you lose your phone?”). Some are for parents, if 911 is called on behalf of a child (“What medical rights do you have if your child is over 18? What is the quality of the campus medical center?”).
Nanette hopes all students and parents will review the checklist, before the new school year begins. Click here to see.
Corey Hausman (center) with Lucas (left) and Casey (right): “The Brothers.”
Earlier this summer, Tony Award-winning Kelli O’Hara hosted a great virtual Westport Country Playhouse event, showcasing Fairfield County’s best young talent.
The Westport resident is back this Friday (August 14, 7 p.m.). It’s the capstone for THRIVE — Teens Having Resilience In a Virtual Environment. The online program for area high school students was created by Westport Country Playhouse, the Shubert Theatre and Long Wharf Theatre.
The 15 THRIVE participants — including Westporters Camille Foisie and Raia Morgan, and Weston’s Harrison Solomon — will share their experiences in the virtual summer camp. It’s part talk show, part variety show, and part cast party.
The “Friday Night THRIVE Live!” event is available on You Tube (WestportPlayhouse channel) and Facebook Live (Westport Country Playhouse).
Kelli O’Hara
And finally … yeah, Eversource. We’re talking about you:
Corey Hausman graduated from Staples in June. This month, he died in a tragic accident in Colorado.
Corey and his older brothers, Lucas and Casey, grew up in Westport, and were excellent athletes. Corey ran cross country and outdoor track for 4 years at Staples High School. He was a 2-year varsity skier too.
His parents, Joel and Nanette, and his brothers have written this tribute to Corey:
Corey Hausman was a 2018 graduate of Staples High School who had just started his 3rd week at University of Colorado-Boulder when suddenly he was physically taken from this Earth. A simple yet fatal accident occurred September 12 while he was riding his skateboard across campus to a friend’s house after class on a Tuesday afternoon. It is still too shocking and soon to comprehend this loss or answer the begging question: Why Corey? Those closest to him are focusing on the spontaneous joy that he brought to the world and that, as a freshman just beginning his most exciting journey, he had hit a personal high note.
If Corey considered you a buddy, you were in for a treat. As the stories from brothers, friends, neighbors, teachers and Staples teammates bubble up, it is clear that Corey had a gift: making people laugh. His range of material was broad including hysterical impersonations, physical gyrations, facial expressions and classic sarcastic quips.
His audiences included all ages and personalities. Whether it was a shy 3-year-old boy who struggled to make eye contact or the senior citizen having trouble opening a car door at Stop & Shop, Corey would find a way to cheer them up, and to get under people’s skin and produce a smile or laugh. Simple, yet so powerful; it was Corey’s way of giving a little joy to the world.
Corey Hausman (center) with Lucas (left) and Casey (right): “The Brothers.”
Like many Staples students, Corey had excellent grades, scores and credentials enabling him to attend several formidable colleges. But once he heard from CU, all other admission letters remained unopened. He had found his home for the next 4 years; end of conversation.
Far far away from the comforts of home, Corey was outside absorbing all that Boulder has to offer, jamming on his guitar with his roommate ‘til all hours of the morning, making new friends and impressing his professors with his proactive approach to his studies. All of this with the back drop of the Rocky Mountains still covered with snow at the tippy-tops.
Corey was overjoyed with his new day-to-day routine and the anticipation of ski season when he could freestyle with an old teammate from Mt. Snow-Vermont. Corey beamed during the Facetime calls home to just “check in.” Without a doubt, he was the happiest person in the world.
It is unbelievable to think that Corey’s story on Earth ended so abruptly. All of the lingering questions will never be answered. Especially, for his family and many close friends, when will the sadness and longing pain stop?
Experts insist that it is critical to mourn for a loved one that passes. Beyond honoring the deceased, acceptance and mourning is needed for survivors to eventually move forward with life. What would Corey want? “Sure,” you can hear him say, “a little mourning would be OK – but, please, not too much.”
Why? Because he was able to hit the high note at 18 years old. He was the happiest person on Earth, and he was able to bring his joy to others. Corey would want us to honor him by following in his footsteps — find personal happiness every day, and bring joy to the world by simply making others smile and laugh.
(Services will be held at the Unitarian Church, 10 Lyons Plains Road, Westport, on Saturday, September 29, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Environmental Defense Fund. For a web tribute to Corey, click here.)
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