Out of the tragedy of David Grotberg’s death in a hit-and-run accident in early October, the Baylor community, and the University Chaplain’s office and the Honors Residential College in particular, responded with remarkable grace, hope, and love. Their reactions reflected the habits of the daily life of a Christian community that had embraced David and been embraced by him. One could clearly sense the broad impact David had on the Baylor community in the stories shared by David’s friends in the memorial service at Baylor.

The service brimmed with a sense of genuine hope, marked by laughter and joy amidst the grief. Baylor was also represented by Dean Tom Hibbs at the memorial service that was held in David’s hometown of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Greeting Dean Hibbs at the service, David’s father said, “Tom, I’m so glad people from Baylor are here. We thought along with losing our son we might lose our Baylor family. But we haven’t.” David’s mother expressed her regret that David didn’t have more time at Baylor because she could see how much he had flourished while a student here.

The HRC’s response to this tragedy embodies Baylor’s Christian mission at our best and our commitment to faithfulness in challenging as well as prosperous times. The Grotberg family will continue to remain in our prayers in the coming months and years.