Editor’s Note: This story contains references to suicidal ideation and mental illness that may be troubling to some readers. Several sources requested anonymity due to fears of retaliation or discomfort speaking publicly. In those instances, pseudonyms have been used for readability.
Reclined in the bow of the shell, just inches above the water’s surface, a coxswain steered the four rowers through choppy waters. As the rain came down during a Wednesday practice, the coxed four were in the middle of a 20-minute race when they entered the wake of a nearby research vessel.
The waves from the wake entered the boat, sinking it further into the water and submerging the coxswain. The rowers looked at their coaches in despair. In response, they repeatedly told the team to “endure,” said former rower Arthur Scott ’27…