Photo: Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
A night meant for celebration at the University of Virginia turned into chaos when fans rushed the field after a September football game — leaving 19 students injured, including third-year student Ellie Wormser, who continues to recover both physically and emotionally.
Wormser described the night as a blur of excitement that quickly turned into panic. “The crowd was so alive… but it all changed so fast,” she recalled. “In the blink of an eye, I was knocked out immediately — crushed.”
As fans poured onto the field, the surge from the back caused those in the middle to collapse, creating dangerous human piles. Wormser lost consciousness and later woke up trapped beneath other students, some of whom were unresponsive. “I was in so much pain and so numb,” she said. “I was screaming because I thought the people on top of me were dead.”
A fellow student — a stranger — managed to pull Wormser from the crowd, likely saving her life. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis caused by the crush. “A piece of the clot in my leg broke off and went to my lung,” Wormser said. “I’m really lucky to still be alive.”
Months later, Wormser still battles lingering symptoms from her injuries, including chronic fatigue, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating. She attends multiple weekly appointments for physical therapy, orthopedic treatment, and pulmonary rehabilitation. The university has provided academic accommodations to help her stay on track with her coursework.
Despite the trauma, Wormser says her pride in UVA remains strong. “I love UVA, and I don’t want anybody to ever have to go through that again,” she said. “I don’t want people to feel that pain.”
Now, Wormser and her family are advocating for improved stadium safety standards, including better crowd management, communication protocols, and emergency preparedness. They hope UVA’s experience will serve as a warning for other colleges.
“This could have been prevented,” Wormser said. “All it takes is one moment of excitement turning into panic — and lives can change forever.”
SOURCE: WHSV3