On January 16, Olivia Chutich would post her last photo on Instagram. She chose a slideshow of pictures where she was outside in the snow, adding the caption of "Oh hey." Based on the incident that happened just days later on January 22, those exact photos may seem a bit eerie.
Olivia, who's the daughter of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Margaret Chutich and Allina Health CEO Penny Wheeler, was found dead outside in the parking lot of her sorority house. At the time of her death, she was only 21.
When sorority members realized she was outside, they called the Ames Police Department. Unfortunately, by the time the authorities got there, there was nothing they could do. As Olivia was outside at the time, that was another factor in her death.
According to investigators, Olivia was reportedly outside for hours. At the time of her death, she was a junior at Iowa State and expected to graduate in 2022. It was ruled an accidental death, as her autopsy revealed that she had died of acute alcohol intoxication and hypothermia.
Her mothers were both heartbroken over this tragic and untimely loss, and they wrote a fitting obituary to honor Olivia's life. "Our hearts are broken into millions of pieces at the loss of her. As her mothers, we know that we were given the most precious of gifts for 21 years. We weren't perfect parents, and she wasn't a perfect child, but we were a perfect match," they said.
"Olivia was born in Guatemala, coming into our lives as an infant. She was loved from the moment that we set eyes on her and deeply so throughout her too-short life. Her vibrant spirit, heart-on-her-sleeve emotions, kindness, compassion, and glorious smile are remembered by all who crossed her path," the obituary continued.
Family became a big part of Olivia's life. "Olivia loved gathering with family and friends, playing games (especially 'Set' in which she trounced everyone), and cheering on the Gopher and Cyclone teams in sporting events," her mothers continued. "She made family events much more fun by finding just the right person to tease."
The moms also made a point to talk about Olivia's schooling and how important the sorority was to Olivia. "Olivia attended Breck School from Kindergarten to her graduation in 2017. A student at Iowa State, she was a proud member of the Tri-Delta sorority. Olivia had found her stride academically and socially, with a circle of supportive sisters," they wrote.
They also wrote down their plans to webcast her service, to make sure everyone could mourn in a safe way. "The video of the service will remain available for later viewing at that same site. A celebration of her life will be held this summer. Her light was beyond radiant. May it continue to shine for all who loved her," they concluded.
Her mother Margaret was appointed by then Governor Mark Dayton to the Minnesota Supreme Court in March of 2016. She was elected in 2018, and her term will currently run out in 2025. She reportedly married Penny Wheeler in 2014, when same-sex marriage was legalized in Minnesota, but the couple had been together for two decades prior.
Judge Margaret Chutich also made history as the first openly gay justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Plenty of people that Margaret worked with made sure to share their condolences. One of the sweetest was from Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Her sorority also made a post that paid tribute to her. "Our chapter is heartbroken over the loss of our sister, Olivia Chutich. While we appreciate the outreach and support of the Iowa State and Greek communities, we ask for privacy as we gather as sisters to grieve this devastating loss," they wrote.
"We know the days and weeks ahead will be difficult, but we will always remember Olivia's contagious laugh, bubbly personality and positive outlook on life," the ode continued. "She lit up every room she walked into and made an impact on every single person she met. We are grateful to have been a part of her beautiful life and to have shared a special bond of friendship with her."
The sisters kindly also let their post serve as a good place to mourn Olivia and share memories. It seems as if all who knew her had nothing but good to say. "She never failed to put a smile on my face and I know everyone she met would say the same," wrote friend
Karlie Schumann. "I'm gonna keep missin you forever, Liv. I love you endlessly."
The truly unfortunate part of this death is that it could have been prevented. If Olivia had been with a friend at the time, the situation could have been different. While it's still unclear as to how her night progressed, it's upsetting to know that this young woman could have been saved. Hopefully, her death in such a manner is a wake-up call to all college kids who may not know their limits yet when it comes to alcohol.
It's always important to make sure that you spend time with people who have your best interests at heart. Together, you can keep tabs on each other and make sure you're safe throughout the night. It seems as if Olivia had a bright future ahead, but one incident derailed everything — and it could have happened to anyone.
This is bound to be a horror story for her sorority sisters who first discovered she was outside. Many thoughts go out to Olivia's family. Recovering from a loss like this will be extremely difficult. Nobody is fully prepared to say goodbye to their child.
