A blind college student from Ohio was struck and killed by a train on Saturday.
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Jennifer Kasunick, a 20-year-old sophomore at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, was remembered in an Instagram post from college president Matthew Scogin.
“Dear campus community,” Scogin wrote. “Yesterday evening, we lost one of our own students in an unimaginable, tragic accident. Jennifer Kasunick was struck by a train near 10th Street and did not survive.”
“[Jennifer] was a well-loved member of our community. Almost everyone on campus knew Jennifer. And to know her was to love her,” he continued. “Her joyful spirit was a constant source of warmth and light – especially in Phelps Hall, where she served as an RA alongside her service dog Rowdy.”
Kasunick’s service dog, Rowdy, survived the crash. The student was remembered as a “talented violinist who learned all her music by ear.”
“What I do know is that Jennifer is with God now, and she understands what we cannot,” Scogin continued. “Jennifer’s eyes were opened last night. Quite literally. And the first thing she saw was Jesus. I know that she has lost nothing — she has only gained. But we should not pretend the same is true for us. We have lost an amazing person who we loved very dearly. Our deep confusion, sadness and anger are impossible to deny.”
“We ask for your prayers and support for Jennifer’s family and friends,” he concluded. “Such news deeply affects all of us. Our mourning process will be messy, difficult and long. But we will do it together. And we will grieve with hope. (1 Thes 4:13).”
Jennifer Kasunick Remembered as a Talented Musician and ‘Shining Star’
Holland police said Kasunick was walking on the sidewalk when signals were activated for an oncoming train. She stopped, but “apparently did not realize her close proximity” to the tracks.
Police found her at the scene, unconscious and not breathing. Kasunick later died from her injuries at Holland Hospital.
Kasunick was from Bay Village, Ohio. In a post on Facebook, Bay Village school board member Andrey Stojic remembered her as “a shining star in our school and community.”
“Her smile and happiness brought joy to everyone who knew her,” he continued. “Her talents in music, her brilliance as a student and her pure goodness as a human being left an indelible memory for us all.”
“Jennifer will always be remembered- for she represented the best of us. We extend our condolences and prayers to her family during these difficult times.”
Dozens of Kasunick’s classmates and friends came out to Hope College’s Dimnent Memorial Chapel to honor her memory. Still more posted tributes on social media.
The train company, CSX, told local news outlet WZZM 13 that they extend their “deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by this tragic incident and will continue to support local law enforcement as they complete the investigation.”