Brown U. Will Honor Missing Student Found Dead

People from all over the world are posting pictures and condolences on the family's Facebook page

Brown University says there will be a private memorial service on campus to celebrate the life of a student whose body was pulled from the water off India Point Park this week.

The university says there will be an on-campus service for 22-year-old Sunil Tripathi this weekend.

It will be open only to Tripathi's family, friends and members of the Brown community.

Tripathi's body was pulled from the water on Tuesday after being discovered by members of the Brown crew team. The medical examiner used dental record to positively identify Tripathi.

The Bryn Mawr, Pa., native had been missing since mid-March.

He was battling depression and had taken a leave from the Ivy League school this semester.

Tripathi's family and friends came together and made Providence their command center for a search that went on for 38 days.

During that search, they created a Facebook page, "Help us Find Sunil Tripathi," that evolved into a hope-focused area for updates and eventually into a movement called "Lend a Hand," where people from all over the world posted photos with hand-written, positive messages on the palms of their hands.

On Thursday, after Sunil's body was identified, the family thanked everyone through the Facebook page for their help and compassion.

"This last month has changed our lives forever, and we hope it will change yours too. Take care of one another. Be gentle, be compassionate. Be open to letting someone in when it is you who is faltering. Lend your hand. We need it. The world needs it."

Hundreds of people have posted condolences.

"Sunil was lucky enough to have such an awesome family during his life," said Aditya Mukherji.

Kai Bighorn sent her sympathies all the way from Vancouver.

"My deepest sympathy and condolences to your family. We may be strangers, but there is one common thread here if any, and that is we all feel the same loss when we lose a loved one."

Other posts are from people like Brenda childrenn Tap who share the experience of struggling with depression.

"One of my everythingstruggled with depression in college. I know how painful it is as a parent to not be able to hold your adult child and make everying better like you could when they were children. I have cried myself to sleep not knowing if I would ever hear her voice again. I grieve with you," she said.

In lieu of flowers, the Tripathi family is asking people to consider donating to the Sunil Tripathi Memorial Fund. "As soon as we are able to, we will select organizations reflecting Sunil's spirit, particularly those focusing on mental health and environmental sustainability."

Here is the information for the fund:

The Sunil Tripathi Memorial Fund
c/o Brown University
110 Elm Street
Box 1893
Providence, RI 02912

The medical examiner is still investigating the cause of death.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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