Family of Riley Strain Proudly Receives His College Diploma During Graduation
Riley Strain’s family is keeping his memory alive.
After two months since the 22-year-old’s passing, his family received his diploma at the University of Missouri’s graduation ceremony.
During the ceremony on May 11, when Riley’s name was called, the graduating class stood up and applauded as his mom Michelle Whiteid and stepdad Chris Whiteid accepted his posthumous degree in business and financial planning. With tears in her eyes, Michelle proudly displayed the diploma amidst the thunderous applause.
It marked the end of a sorrowful period for Riley’s family after he went missing during a night out with his fraternity brothers in Nashville in early March.
Following a two-week search, the Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed the discovery of Riley’s remains eight miles from where he was last seen, attributing his passing to an “accidental” cause with no signs of foul play-related injury.
“It’s been a roller coaster of emotions,” Chris expressed to the media after the update. “We are deeply grateful for the support and understanding shown to our family during this difficult time.”