In the bio department at UB, there is a scholarship named after a grad student that was there when I attended. He had his PhD thesis defense scheduled and in the week before it he was out celebrating and died in a car accident. For people who went to grad school, the thesis defense is really a formality as your committee has been appraised af your progress and then say it's time to start writing. The department granted his PhD posthumously. Was also a reminder to not celebrate early.