NORTH MANCHESTER, Ind. -- Manchester University is collecting and mailing cards and support to the families of the three students who were killed Sunday morning in a crash on I-69.
The university has established a temporary fund to help offset travel and other expenses for the families.
For those wishing to provide support to the students and their families, in any form, you may send them to the President...
Posted by Manchester University on Monday, 22 February 2016
Many students, staff and alumni spent Sunday remembering the students. A public service was planned for the Petersime Chapel at Manchester University, but it was moved to a larger venue after a lot of people started showing up.
Two of the students were from Ethiopia, and the third was from Nigeria.
Many people dropped off flowers on a table in the multicultural center.
??? #MUStrong pic.twitter.com/yCEjFBshKg
— Audrey Deitrich (@DeeDeeTrick) February 22, 2016
Nerad Grace Mangai, Brook M. Dagnew and Kirubel Alemayehu Hailu were traveling north on I-69 near the 253 mile marker when one of their tires went flat. Some were standing outside the van when another van went into the median and hit them.
Another student, Israel Tamire, is recovering at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. "Israel's father and uncle are now with him at the hospital and he is able to squeeze hands and wiggle his toes, and that is a very good sign," a Manchester University Facebook post said.
Deangelo R. Evans, 26, of Chicago, was charged with three counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, one count of OWI resulting in serious bodily injury, and three counts of reckless homicide.
RELATED | Man charged in crash that killed three Manchester University students
Ben Tapper, an alumnus of Manchester University, posted a video about the incident
"If nothing else, I can be comforted by the fact that these students were deeply loved by their friends, by their family, by the community as a whole, they were loved. And that love will be demonstrated many times over in the coming days and weeks. ... While this tragedy is senseless and probably could've been avoided, while these lives were lost far too soon, I take some comfort and some solace in knowing that these students were cared for and they were loved."
Watch the full video here:
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