ONALASKA, Wash. - A night of drinking games proved deadly for a 15-year-old high school student, and now his family wants to use their grief as a warning to others.

Nick Barnes, a popular 10th-grader at Onalaska High School, died Sept. 21 after attending a birthday party at a friend's house.

In his last text message to his mom, Nick promised no drinking at the birthday party. But after a chugging game, he was found passed out in this yard, with writing covering his nearly bare body.

"This was a stupid game that cost a young man's life," says his grandmother, Sue Patterson. "If you're the first (one) passed out, they decorate you and make you the party favor."

The 28-year-old owner of the party house dropped the Onalaska teen off at the hospital. But Nick never woke up.

His mother, Rachel Smith, says, "I'm still numb. I'm used to him coming home from school telling me how his day was and crawling in bed, and I don't have that anymore."

Nick's family wants their pain to make a point about the dangers of underage drinking.

"These kids are playing with a loaded gun and don't even know it," says his grandmother. "And the people allowing it need to understand the responsibility. A child is gone."

The prosecutor is waiting on results from the coroner before deciding if the adult who threw the party will face manslaughter charges.

"He could have done things different, a lot different," says Nick's mother.

In nick's memory, his family encourages contributions to this new community center for kids - a safe, sober alternative to drinking parties.

"I don't want this to ever happen to another family," says Rachel Smith.

Nick died before knowing his fellow sophomores had voted him prince of his homecoming court. They had to do a re-vote after his death, and crowned Nick's best friend.