Official Statement on Eric Fatla's Death

The George Washington University has released the following statement:

"George Washington University law student Eric Fatla died Monday December 27 after a fall Christmas Eve in Chicago. A first-year law student, Eric was a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and had served as a staff member for former Illinois Congressman Jerry Weller (R-IL).

“Eric’s death saddens the entire GW Law community,” said Interim GW Law School Dean Gregory E. Maggs. “When a student with such wonderful potential is taken from us, we all deeply feel the loss. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family, friends, and classmates during this difficult time.”

Professor Jonathan Turley, who taught Eric in his Torts class and Legal Theory class, expressed condolences on his blog, jonathanturley.org(http://jonathanturley.org/ ):

“I cannot express the profound sadness over the loss of Eric, who was a brilliant young man with an extraordinary background and an even brighter future,” Turley wrote.

“Eric had already accomplished more than most people accomplish in a lifetime. He had gone to China on a research project, gone to Honduras as an election monitor and worked in Congress as a staffer. He was currently with a lobbying and law firm while attending class in the evenings.”

The GW community extends sincere sympathies to Eric Fatla’s family and friends."

GW Law Student Dies After Tragic Fall

Eric Fatla, 26, died Monday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. According to the AP, and GW Professor Jonathan Turley's blog, the first year law student died after falling down a flight of stairs at the Union Club in Chicago.

Fatla was home visiting his family when the accident happened Christmas Eve. He passed, surrounded by his family.

Fatla worked with a lobbying and law firm while attending class in the evenings. He had gone to China on a research project, Honduras as an election monitor and worked in Congress as a staffer. He was working as director of operations at New World Group LLC. He was also a congressional staffer for former U.S. Congressman Jerry Weller (R-Ill.). He had survived an earlier trauma, a head injury that almost led to a brain hemorrhage, sustained while playing football in High School.

WRGW has contacted The Office of Media Relations for an official statement from the university. Stay tuned for more information.

The WRGW News and Radio team sends its condolences to the family.