Manchester University mourns after tragic accident

Email sent to Manchester University students, faculty President Dave McFadden on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016:

Dear students, faculty, staff and friends,

It is with great sadness that I share news of a tragic accident early this morning that claimed the lives of three Manchester University students, Nerad Grace Mangai, Brook M. Dagnew and Kirubel Alemayehu Hailu. 

A fourth MU student, Israel Solomon Tamire, is being treated for injuries at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Three other students, Nebiyu Shiferaw Alemu, Amanuel Atsbha Gebreyohannes and Dagmawi Meseret Tadesse, were not injured and have returned to North Manchester. 

A gathering for the MU community is planned for 8 p.m. this evening (Sunday) in Petersime Chapel. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend, reflect and provide comfort to each other as we process our grief. Campus Pastor Walt Wiltschek will lead us. 

The students had been to Ball State University and Taylor University earlier and were northbound on I-69 heading back to North Manchester. Based on what we were told, they had a flat tire and were outside of the vehicle changing it when several of them were struck by another vehicle.

All of the students are from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, except for Nerad, a sophomore biology-chemistry major from Jos, Nigeria. Brook was a sophomore majoring in biology-chemistry and Kirubel was a first-year medical technology major.

Please hold all of the people who love these students in your thoughts and prayers. Counseling services are available today at the Intercultural Center and we will ensure that counseling support is available for students, faculty and staff in the difficult days ahead. 

We anticipate that there will be a memorial service on the North Manchester campus in the coming days and will share details with you when plans are confirmed. 

We can’t begin to understand the tragic loss of Nerad, Brook and Kirubel, young lives so full of promise. The MU community grieves their passing and will miss them deeply. 

Dave McFadden
President

Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 60 areas of academic study to 1,500 students in undergraduate programs, a Master of Athletic Training and a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy.  Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.

Feb. 21, 2016

For the media:

Call Anne Gregory in media relations at 260-982-5285 and leave a message or text 260-417-5061. Calls and texts will be answered in the order they are received.

Manchester University is a private institution. Please review these Media Access Policies. The gathering at the chapel tonight is not open to the public. 2017