Pennypacker Resident Dies In Sleep Sunday

Sameer N. Rafla-Demetrious '94, a Pennypacker Hall resident originally from Staten Island, N.Y., died in his sleep on Sunday.

"Sameer was a popular guy and well-liked by everyone," said proctor Nathan Faulkner. "All of us on the floor are quite devastated."

Dr. Peter J. Zuromskis, the attending physician from University Health Services, said that the cause of death had not yet been determined. The initial examination indicated that Rafla-Demertrious had died of natural causes, perhaps heart failure, he said.

The medical examiner's office said an autopsy report would not be available for several days.

"He was a brilliant young man. His greatest dream was to go to Harvard, ever since he was 10-years-old," his mother said. "He was very happy there."

Born in New York City, Rafla-Demetrious was a member of the high school soccer team and played the saxophone, she said. "He was the pride and joy of the public school system and won all sorts of awards," she said.

White in high school, he started a business to tutor students in mathematics and help people learn to use their computers. "He had a great facility for computers," she said.

Since his father is a doctor and one of his four sister is currently in medical school, Rafla-Demetrious was probably going to follow the pre-med track, his mother said.

Pennypacker residents grieved yesterday at Ralfa-Demetrious's passing.

We're all shocked and saddened. All of us in the Pennypacker community are sticking together and trying to get through it," said senior advisor Keith Frome. Frome said that the administration has provided counseling support for the students in Pennypacker.

Some students in the entry have been permitted to postpone their final exams until March.