School-Approved Fraternity Boxing Match Results to Death of UNLV Student Due to Brain Injuries

The family of a 20-year-old University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) student wants answers regarding his death due to brain injuries following a school-sanctioned fraternity boxing match.

The student, Nathan Valencia, collapsed on the ring on November 19 but died of his injuries at the hospital four days later. Valencia participated in the fraternity boxing match, a popular yearly fundraiser known to the school community, as a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon. His match was billed as the main event, with Emmanuel Aleman as his opponent.

According to reports, Kappa Sigma Fraternity organized the fight, which took place off-campus. Joe Castro, Valencia's friend, said that the boxers were wearing headgears.

"But at the end of the day, when you're getting hit in the head, you're getting hit in the head," Castro said.

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Valencia Suffered Internal bleeding

Valencia was brought to Sunrise Hospital, where doctors told his parents that he had internal bleeding. The prognosis was grim as they said he would not survive.

His mother was against her son participating in the fraternity boxing match, but Valencia wanted in since this was for charity. He was supposed to turn 21 years old on the weekend following his death. Instead of his plan to celebrate at a Las Vegas nightclub, his family and friends have been having a candlelight vigil.

In a statement released through their lawyers, the Valencia family said there were "mistakes made" and "safety precautions overlooked" during the fraternity boxing match. The family has sought an investigation to understand why the school and the fraternities allow such an event to take place sans doctors or qualified referees on the scene.

Valencia was also not trained to fight in a risky match. The family said that college students should have never been placed in such a situation, which has cost their son's life.

In response, UNLV President Richard Whitfield said in a statement that the school community is also "shocked and heartbroken" about Valencia's death. He said that they would review the incident and expressed sympathies for the family.

Kappa Sigma Fraternity also released a short statement to condole with the family while Valencia's girlfriend, Lacey Foster, set up a GoFundMe page to raise his funeral costs. Over 600 people have donated as of press time, and many were graduates of UNLV.

Brain Injuries Facts

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been over 61,000 deaths tied to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the U.S. in 2019. Most cases have been victims of falls, vehicular accidents, assaults and firearm-related suicide.

A person with TBI may experience health problems for days or the rest of their lives, depending on the severity. Those with a mild concussion may have short-term memory loss, dizziness or balance problems, headaches, vomiting or nausea, fogginess in their memory, and sleep issues. However, those with moderate to severe effects may have lifelong issues, especially if the injury has not been properly diagnosed.

According to Clinical Correlations, boxers in the amateur arena have a 13 percent chance of getting an acute or chronic concussion each time they step into the ring to fight. Evidence has shown that nearly half of amateur boxers have had brain issues.

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