Retired Columbus Division of Fire Chief Jeffrey Happ said he was a survivor of sexual abuse by former Ohio State University team doctor Richard Strauss when he was a minor in the 1980s.
Happ came forward with the allegations in a news release sent by former OSU athletes and students who are suing the university and seeking damages from the university, because Strauss abused them over the course of decades at OSU. Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
Happ said he was just 15 when he was sexually abused by Strauss during his sophomore and junior years at Bishop Ready High School on the west side of Columbus. At the time, he was a multi-sport athlete and part of the high school's state championship wrestling team when the multiple athletes with the team were asked to take part in a study with OSU Athletics.
Happ said in a statement the abuse occurred under the guise of a “body fat study” conducted by Strauss that was authorized and paid for by Ohio State.
“This confirms what many survivors have long known — that Richard Strauss’ abuse extended beyond the Ohio State campus and into the youth sports community here in Columbus. I was just a teenager when this happened," Happ said. "For years, I stayed silent out of concern for how coming forward might affect the firefighters I was honored to lead and serve alongside."
Happ said now that he is retired, he feels a responsibility to tell the truth.
"If sharing my story helps even one person who has been suffering in silence, it’s worth it," Happ said.
Happ worked for Columbus' fire department for more than 32 years before retiring in January amid discipline over his handling of a deadly 2023 crash where a city fire engine collided with a pickup truck, killing its driver.
Happ's allegations come just one week after 30 former OSU football players came forward, alleging Strauss abused them.
What has Ohio State University said about Happ's allegations and reports of Strauss abusing minors?
Ohio State spokesperson Christopher Booker didn't address Happ's allegations in a statement, but did give an overview of the university's efforts to work with survivors.
"Since 2018, Ohio State has sincerely and persistently tried to reconcile with survivors through monetary and non-monetary means, including settlements, counseling services and other medical treatment," Booker said.
Booker said to date, the university has settled with 317 survivors for more than $61 million, and Ohio State remains actively engaged in mediation.
Booker pointed out that an independent investigation conducted into Strauss by the Perkins Coie firm did investigate whether Strauss abused high school student athletes outside of Ohio State.
The report said the investigative team received allegations that, during Strauss' employment with OSU, Strauss was involved in certain activities involving high school and grade school-aged minors.
The report contains an account by one unnamed former student at an unnamed Columbus-area Catholic high school that Strauss sexually abused him and other minors during a "body fat exam."
After contacting the Catholic Diocese of Columbus and speaking with representatives, the report said that the investigative team was "unable to reach any final conclusions in this regard."
The investigators then sought out witnesses and spoke to a former wrestling coach. The report said the coach recalled that Strauss conducted the study between 1981 and 1983 and it involved approximately 20 to 25 wrestlers.
The coach explained that the study’s focus was on determining the optimal weight and weight management for high school wrestlers. As part of the study. Strauss performed skin caliper body fat testing and physical examinations of the wrestlers at the high school.
The report said the wrestling coach indicated that he—or an assistant coach— was present “almost 100% of the time” for these tests and physical examinations.
The report said the coach denied that Strauss performed genital exams beyond the hernia check on the student participants.
But the report said the coach stated that Strauss occasionally performed underwater weigh-ins as part of his study, and that Strauss may have been alone with wrestlers while conducting those underwater tests because only one wrestler could use the machine at a time.
The coach told investigators that none of his wrestlers ever indicated to him that they did not want to see Strauss or that Strauss had done anything inappropriate in his examinations.
Strauss survivor applauds Happ's decision to come forward
Hundreds of other athletes haven't settled with Ohio State and are actively suing the university. Several were featured in an HBO documentary last year that was critical of the university's handling of Strauss' actions.
The news release said Happ’s decorated public service career makes his decision to speak now especially powerful.
"Over more than three decades, he rose through the ranks from firefighter to Fire Chief, serving the community he grew up in on the west side of Columbus. Both of his sons now serve in the Division of Fire, continuing the family’s legacy of service," the news release said.
Happ was a teammate at Bishop Ready of another of Strauss' victims: Michael DiSabato. The two played football and wrestling together. DiSabato expressed support for Happ.
“Jeff Happ was an elite athlete and he is an elite human being. He is one of the most decorated high school athletes to ever compete for Bishop Ready and the leader we all looked up to. He has spent his entire adult life protecting the people of Columbus," DiSabato said.
DiSabato added that the fact that Happ carried this knowledge for so many years while serving his community tells you everything about the shame and silence imposed on Strauss’ victims.
"Jeff speaking out now sends a powerful message to survivors everywhere — you are not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of," DiSabato said.
The news release said that Happ hopes that by sharing his experience, he can help remove the stigma often associated with male-on-male sexual abuse and provide comfort to others who may still be suffering in silence.
Columbus city officials declined to comment for this story.
