KALAMAZOO, Mich. — 21-year-old Western Michigan University student Kaylee Gansberg died on Saturday after being hit by a suspected drunk driver.
Gansberg was from Illinois. While at Western Michigan University, she studied fine art and photography. Her goal was to one day travel the world and photograph architecture. She was set to graduate next spring.
“She had her priorities straight,” said Ashley Kowalski, one of Gansberg’s roommates. “She liked to go out and have fun. A good influence on us though. Like, especially with schooling and everything.”
On Saturday morning, Gansberg went with one of her friends to get food. A short time later, she was hit by the suspected drunk driver on West Michigan Avenue.
“We were just praying that she was going to make it,” said Eileen Jane, Gansberg’s other roommate. “And we were really hopeful she would.”
Gansberg later died at the hospital.
The 22-year-old suspected of hitting Gansberg has been taken into custody. So far, he has not been identified. “They deserve to be locked up,” said Kowalski. “And I mean, they took a bright girl’s life who had a bright future, everything. Like, they took everything away from her, her family, us, our community as a school. All of us. Like it’s… it doesn’t seem fair.”
After her death, Gansberg’s friends honored her memory with a vigil. A GoFundMe page has also been created, which has so far raised $33,000. Kowalski and Jane are also hoping to have an honorary degree or scholarship in her name.
Gransberg is the second Western Michigan University Student that has been killed by someone driving under the influence in the past year. The other was 19-year-old Bailey Broderick.
A petition has been created to address safety concerns on campus. It includes having more crosswalk streetlights and road bumps. “It’s pretty dark out on our road,” said Kowalski.
Donations in memory of Gansberg can be made on the GoFundMe page. The petition for Western Michigan University campus safety can be signed on Change.org.
