An Emerson College student has died after he hit his head during an altercation in Boston last weekend.
Daniel Hollis underwent emergency surgery after arriving at a hospital unresponsive following the incident, Hollis' family said Tuesday. School officials sent a letter to the Emerson community Wednesday confirming Hollis had died surrounded by loved ones.
"A sophomore majoring in Marketing Communications and a student athlete, Dan will be deeply missed by the many Emersonians who came to know and love him," Lee Pelton, the school's president, said in the letter.
"Our beautiful boy's journey ended this evening at approximately 5:32 p.m.," Hollis' family wrote in a blog post Wednesday night. "Our deepest appreciation goes to all who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We ask you now to turn those prayers and good wishes to the many friends and family who have to learn how to live with a little less sunshine."
Due to the damage to Hollis' brain, family members had said after the incident that he was not expected to wake up.
"We ask that you focus on the positive: his infectious smile, his goofy sense of humor, his love for music, hockey, lacrosse and most importantly his love for his friends and family," Hollis' family said earlier in a statement. "The positive energy is making it to him and surrounding him with love while he is still with us."
Boston police received a call of an assault and battery at about 1:20 a.m. Sunday on Park Vale Avenue in Brighton near Packard's Corner, according to police. The incident involved a "male victim."
Police did not provide further information about the incident.
According to the family, Hollis was leaving a party with friends when the group was "confronted" by another group of "college-aged boys." The family believes a scuffle ensued during which Hollis was hit, causing him to hit is head on cement or bricks.
Counseling was available at Hopedale Junior Senior High School, where Hollis was a student before attending Emerson.
"He was an ice cream sundae as a human," Hollis' high school lacrosse coach said.
The reality was still sinking in for coach Eric Moxim Tuesday. He said the world was worse off given the news.
