MIDDLEBURY STUDENT LIA SMITH FOUND DEAD — AUTOPSY CONFIRMS SUICIDE
Lia Smith, 21, the Middlebury College student who went missing earlier this month, has been confirmed dead.
Her father reported her missing on Sunday, October 19, two days after she was last seen on campus. A Vermont Police Department statement confirmed that her body, found near campus on Thursday, October 23, belonged to the young collegiate swimmer.
Search efforts had included drones and ground teams, eventually extending into the forests surrounding Middlebury College. On Wednesday, October 22, the search intensified with help from the Middlebury Fire Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Vermont State Police Search and Rescue.
Tragically, her body was discovered the following day at around 1:30 p.m. in a field near The Knoll, the college’s organic farm. Authorities reported no signs of foul play. The Vermont Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Smith died by suicide.
Middlebury College President Ian Baucom expressed deep sorrow:
"I have spoken with Lia’s family to share my heartbreak. As president, and as a parent, I ache for them. This is a loss no one should have to endure."
Smith, a member of the Women’s Swimming and Diving team, as well as the Chess and Japanese clubs, was an advocate for transgender rights and pursued a double major in Computer Science and Statistics. She was set to graduate in May 2026.
May Lia Smith rest in peace.
THE HAUNTING STORY OF THE STARVING POLAR BEAR THAT WOKE UP THE WORLD
A Ghost in the North
On Canada’s Baffin Island, a once-mighty 1,000-pound polar bear drags its weakened body across the barren land. Its white fur hangs in tatters, muscles wasted by long starvation. Captured by National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen, the footage shows a majestic apex predator reduced to a desperate scavenger—a haunting, heart-wrenching glimpse into the devastating impact of climate change.
“When you see something like that, it breaks something inside you,” Nicklen said, recalling the first moment he spotted the bear. At first, it looked like a stray white blanket caught on the rocks. Then it moved. It was alive—but barely.
The Reality of Climate Change
Polar bears depend on sea ice to hunt seals, their primary food. As the Arctic warms, ice melts earlier in spring and refreezes later in winter, leaving bears trapped on land without access to sustenance. Unlike grizzlies, polar bears cannot survive on berries or plants. Starvation becomes inevitable.
Nicklen’s post on Instagram was simple, yet gut-punching: “This is what starvation looks like… This is what climate change looks like.” Millions watched, shared, and mourned. Suddenly, melting ice caps were no longer abstract numbers—they were the hollow eyes of a dying bear.
A Warning for Humanity
Some argued that this bear might have been sick or old, but Nicklen’s point was larger: this bear represents the fate of its species. Scientists warn that the global population of polar bears—around 26,000 today—could decline by 30% by 2050. The Arctic’s king is disappearing before our eyes, a living alarm for the planet.
This haunting footage forces us to confront a sobering question: if we stand by as the King of the Arctic wastes away, what does that say about us? Every click, every share, every tear counts. It’s a call to action—for our planet, and for the creatures who cannot speak for themselves.
