Tate Ramsden, a Dartmouth College member of the Class of 2017 and Beta Alpha Omega fraternity brother, died on Saturday while on vacation with his family in Sarasota, Florida.
Tate, a member of the swimming and diving team team, died while swimming in the outdoor pool of the YMCA Selby Aquatic Center at approximately 2:00 p.m. The details of his death are unknown at this time, but it’s certainly uncommon for a member of the swim team in good health to die in the water in the afternoon.
Update: According to CBS Miami, here’s how it happened:
“Tate had been swimming laps in the pool for some time and I was told he had swam approximately 4,000 yards before practicing his underwater swimming techniques,” Officer Douglas Stidham wrote in the report. “It is believed he was likely attempting to complete a ‘100’ which is four laps across the pool without surfacing for air.”
At some point, Ramsden’s sister and cousin noticed that he was not moving underwater, and they alerted lifeguards who removed him from the pool, Stidham wrote.”
In addition to his swimming accomplishments, Tate was a fantastic student. He was an All American, member of the Cum Laude Society, a Merit Scholar and hoped to pursue a career in finance.
The Dartmouth College community is currently in mourning, but many students may not know the news since they’ve been away from school for so long and don’t return until after New Year’s.
https://twitter.com/RayneAlexandraa/status/681353091694915584
Here’s a letter from the Dartmouth President:
From: President Phil Hanlon <president’s.office@dartmouth.edu>
Date: December 27, 2015
To: All Students:;, All Faculty:;, All Staff:;
Subject: Tragic loss of a Dartmouth community member
To the Dartmouth community,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the death of Tate Ramsden, a member of the Class of 2017, who died yesterday while swimming in Sarasota, Fla., where he was on holiday with family members.
We have been in touch with Tate’s family to share our deepest sympathies with them at this time of heartbreaking loss. Tate was a member of the men’s swimming and diving team and a brother in Beta Alpha Omega fraternity.
Tate’s family is planning a memorial service, which will take place next weekend in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn.
I urge students, faculty, and staff who would like to speak to a counselor on their own behalf or out of concern for someone else to contact our Safety and Security office at (603) 646-4000 at any hour. Please do not hesitate to seek help during this time of grief.
Our thoughts are with Tate’s family and friends at this time of great sadness.
Sincerely,
Phil Hanlon
President
As cliché as it sounds, every day is a blessing. Enjoy your lives, have fun, but above all be safe and look out for each other. Our thoughts and prayers are with Tate, his family, and friends.
A memorial service is being held in Nashville later this weekend.
