Object Reference not set... yet I can access it's variables?

I've been getting an Object Reference not set to Instance of variable on the last line of this code:

 private List<EventScript> events;

 GameObject newEventObj = Instantiate (Resources.Load ("Event"), myTransform.position, Quaternion.identity) as GameObject;
 EventScript newEvent = newEventObj.GetComponent<EventScript>();
     
 newEvent.initial = initial;
 Debug.Log (newEvent.initial);
 events.Add (newEvent);

but what's weird, is that the Debug.Log fires off just fine, and gets the appropriate variable. Even the setting of that variable works (the gameObject shows it, so i can see it change).

I'm so confused as to how the object suddenly becomes dereferenced when I try to add it to a list

Thanks for any help!