Robert Zander Hattersley was a 21 year old Junior at Georgia Southern, who was killed as a passenger riding with a drunk driver. His family wants his tragedy to be seen as a warning to plan ahead if you are going to drink.

What happened? Zander, was recalled by many as an outgoing, generous, and ambitious young person who had a full life ahead of him. This was all taken away when a driver, who was a longtime friend of Zander, crashed his vehicle into a mailbox and a fence with Zander in the passenger seat.

• The driver was speeding over 116 miles per hour while under the influence of alcohol and was subsequently charged by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office with two counts of first degree vehicular homicide, DUI, reckless driving and weaving over the roadway.

“He [Zander] came home for Thanksgiving break, went golfing with a friend and then went out for pizza and some beers. It was not a wild night out,” said Dr. Evelyn Boria-Rivera, Zander’s aunt. “The excessive speed plus drunk driving was a deadly combination, and now none of us will be the same.”

“Anyone that had the pleasure to be around Zander knew him by his infectious smile & great attitude. He had been an athlete, playing lacrosse and football in high school in his hometown of Woodstock, Georgia, had worked part time at Home Depot to help put himself through college, and had recently completed a summer internship at Graydaze, a commercial painting company, with the prospect of future employment after graduation,” said Zander’s aunt.

Why It Matters: Zander’s family now wants students to be careful about the choices they make around socializing when alcohol is involved. “Plan ahead; get a sober driver–an Uber or Lyft; or just stay where you are,” said his aunt. Finally, they want others to consider the gift of life: Zander’s family chose to donate his organs so that others can live full lives as Zander did.