Alcohol poisoning claims teen's life

March 31, 2006

MARY AMES

Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA -The last time his mother saw him alive, Adrian Wayne Hartman told her things were going really well.

He had a ride to work the next day, so he didn't need her to drive him. But he would come over after work to pick up his dog. His mother, Brenda Nice, said that maybe his dad would fire up the barbecue when he came by, something that Hartman thought would be great.

Nice told Hartman to stay safe, and they each said, &#8220I love you,” before Nice went home and Hartman, like many teens, spent some of his Friday night drinking.

By the time his roommate found him Saturday morning, the 17-year-old Wasilla youth was dead.

When Alaska State Troopers responded to the 911 call on Dean Drive at about 9 a.m., there was no point in trying to revive him, according to Greg Wilkinson, a trooper spokesman.

Hartman died of acute alcohol poisoning sometime during the night, according to the state medical examiner.

Adrian Hartman was a normal teen, a first son, a child who made his mother grow up when she gave birth to him at 21.

&#8220He was a healthy, beautiful, wonderful person,” said Nice. &#8220But he was a risk-taker. He thought he was bullet-proof.”

Hartman went to Goose Bay Elementary School, Wasilla Middle School and Burchell High School. He worked at Carl's Jr. for about a year, dressed in the Uncle Sam costume for his job as a waver at Liberty Tax Service, and had another job lined up, Nice said.

Like Nice, he was small, she said, but he wanted to prove to the world that he was big. He was a well-loved, good boy who wanted to be part of the crowd, just like so many other teens in the Valley, she said.

And, like so many teens Nice knows, her son went binge-drinking on weekends.

&#8220I lost someone I absolutely loved,” Nice said. &#8220The alcohol was too overwhelming for his little body. He just stopped breathing.”

After a couple of hours drinking Friday night, Hartman stepped outside the party house to relieve himself, according to Wilkinson.

Hartman's roommate found him passed out on the porch, put him in the car and drove him to their place on Dean Drive. The roommate lay Hartman on his side, so if he vomited he wouldn't choke.

Nice places no blame on the roommate, calling her a sweet, wonderful girl. But she hopes her son's death can be a lesson for other teens and their parents.

Hartman left home because his parents didn't want him in the house while he was under the influence of alcohol, and he couldn't abide by their rules or admit he might have a problem.

&#8220We threatened to put him in rehab, and he ran away.” Nice said.

&#8220Adrian thought he could do it by himself, that he didn't need help, didn't need counseling, didn't need AA. He said he just did it on weekends.”

Nice doesn't want any other parent to have to endure the heartbreak she's suffering.

&#8220I know a lot of kids who party 'til they drop,” she said. &#8220Parents trust children because we want to. Tell parents to hug their children a little tighter and to know what they are doing, because you never know what will happen.”

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@ frontiersman.com.