The Ottawa County Sheriff?s Office continues its investigation into the death of Hope College student Riley Jeanne Gortsema, 18, who was struck by a bus Saturday morning.
Visitation is 5-9 tonight at the Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home, 4145 Chicago Drive SW in Grandville.
A memorial service is 1 p.m. Wednesday? at the Hope College Dimnent Memorial Chapel, 277 College Ave., Holland, with the Rev. Paul Boersma officiating.
Gortsema, of Grandville, was a Calvin Christian High School graduate. While in high school, she played several sports. She was a sophomore at Hope College taking a May class and living on campus.
In 2011, Gortsema talked in a YouTube video about dealing with loss after her brother Travis committed suicide, according to WOOD-TV 8. The video, ?Teens and Loss, A Journey to Hope,? was produced by the Pediatric Oncology Resource Team and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
On Saturday, a private bus was southbound on U.S 31 near Chicago Drive in Holland Township about 1:46 in the morning when it struck Gortsema, who was walking in the travel lane, according to the sheriff?s office. She died at the scene.
The bus, driven by Travis John Terrell of Franklin, Tenn., was carrying members of the Christian pop-rock band Audio Adrenaline and was heading back to Nashville, Tenn., from a show at Michigan?s Adventure near Muskegon, according to MLive reports.
The band posted a request on its website, audioa.com:
?Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the young lady who was involved in an unfortunate incident after our concert last night. Please lift our driver up in your prayers as well.?
One of Gortsema?s friends posted his thanks to the band on the website.
?... thanks for the prayers, it means a lot to her friends from Calvin Christian. ... for God strengthens us in miraculous and strange ways!? he wrote.
?Prayers to all involved! Riley was a beautiful Christian girl, loved by all who knew her, especially the special need kiddos! A loss to us but a blessing for the time she was here,? wrote another.
She is survived by her parents Doug and Julie Gortsema; brother Chad Gortsema; sister Natasha Gortsema; grandparents; uncles, aunts and cousins.
? Follow Jim Hayden on Twitter@SentinelJim.
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