(WXMI) — The death of Jennifer Kasunick, a sophomore at Hope College who was hit and killed by a train, appears to be an accident according to law enforcement. It happened Saturday evening in Holland near 10th and Lincoln.
We're told video shows that Jennifer stopped just west of the tracks, but didn't realize how close she was and was clipped by the train.
At the scene, FOX 17 was able to see that there are gate arms that block off the road when a train is coming. But these barriers do not extend to the sidewalk.
When FOX 17 spoke to students and faculty last night, Jennifer was described as a light on campus. And her light still burns bright. Jennifer’s childhood friend, Addison Meaux, spoke with our sister station in Cleveland. She makes it clear that to know Jennifer is to love Jennifer.
Now, Hope College and all her family and friends back home have loved and lost.
“She’s probably the nicest person that you’ll ever meet, ever,” Addison said. “My mom made me invite her to my sixth grade birthday party.”
From sixth grade on, these two were best friends… even when they separated for college. “She wrote a letter to me, saying that this was just four years in our friendship, and that, you know, after we’ll have a lifetime to go,” Addison said.
But her life was cut short. Addison says as devastating as this loss is, she’s just glad to know Jennifer is with Jesus.
“Anytime anything would happen to her, whether it was good or bad, she would always just sing praises to Him, and it was just so admirable,” Addison said.
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Police: Hope student 'apparently did not realize' how close she was to the train
Years ago, Jennifer and Addison talked about what they would want to be said at each other’s funerals. “She said that she wouldn’t want anybody to be sad, and she would just want everybody to remember her how they would if she was still alive,” Addison said.
And when she was alive, she made her mark… especially on her service dog, Rowdy.
According to Addison, the first thing Jennifer’s mom did when she got to Hope’s campus was check on Rowdy. “That’s what Jen would have wanted… to make sure her dog is okay,” Addison said.
In her years on Earth, Jennifer was blind. Now, Addison wonders how her friend looks at her from above. “I wonder what she thinks about what I look like, you know, because she’s probably smiling down at me right now,” Addison said.
As family and friends continue to mourn the loss of Jennifer Kasunick, they also celebrate the beautiful life she lived. “She would want us to know that she’s just home with Him now, and that we’ll see her again," Addison said.
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