James Madison College junior Arielle Eisenberg sets down her candle during a candlelight vigil in memory of sophomore Ryan Rosman late Tuesday night. Rosman was killed in a bus accident Thursday in Detroit.
A soft glow illuminated the parking lot of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, 1148 E. Grand River Ave., as fraternity brothers and friends held a candlelight vigil Tuesday for business sophomore Ryan Rosman, who died Thursday.
Hundreds of students from throughout the greek community and friends who knew Rosman gathered in silence to remember their friend, a brother in MSU’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Rosman died Thursday after being dragged by a tour bus he had been lying underneath after attending a Detroit Red Wings game at Joe Louis Arena. Police said they do not know why Rosman was lying under the bus, but have said he was dragged for up to a quarter of a mile before his body was found near the corner of Washington Boulevard and Michigan Avenue.
Detroit police said they still are investigating the incident and declined to release further details about the circumstances surrounding Rosman’s death. Police spokesman John Roach said in a statement officers monitored security surveillance footage and conducted interviews to discover that the tour bus was involved in the accident.
Alpha Epsilon Pi President David Zemon stood in front of the crowd, tears in his eyes, as he thanked the greek community and the student body for support during their time of grief.
“There are no words to describe how incredibly tragic this has been,” Zemon said. “The thing that has made this, at the very least, bearable for our chapter is the love from all of you.”
Jonathan Pierce, a spokesman for the national Alpha Epsilon Pi organization, said the organization has sent at least one national staff member to MSU’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi to investigate the accident and has established counseling for fraternity brothers at the MSU chapter.
He would not elaborate on details of the investigation.
Zemon directed all questions pertaining to the investigation to the national organization.
“We are investigating, but we also want to make sure the people that knew him well are taken care of,” Pierce said.
As candle wax dripped down onto her fingertips, education junior Amanda Zangara stood in silence. Although she did not know Rosman personally, she said she came to the vigil in support of the fraternity as a member of the greek community. She was joined by fraternity and sorority members from many other houses around campus, some wearing the insignia of their house.
Zemon said Rosman was an amazing person who will be dearly missed and all in attendance should learn from Rosman’s death that life is unpredictable.
“We should tell the people we love (that) we love them because God forbid something tragic will happen like this,” he said.
Pierce said counseling services have been set up through MSU and Hillel Jewish Student Center, 360 Charles St. Many alumni have come out to support the brothers as well, Pierce said.
Communication senior Evan Wasserman, who also is a brother at the fraternity, said the house felt the impact of Rosman’s loss. He said he missed walking into the house and seeing Rosman’s smile and hearing his laugh in the halls. Wasserman was thankful for the support from everyone in attendance.
“When I first looked up and saw how many people there were, there were chills down my spine,” he said.
Zemon asked as people left the vigil, they leave their candles lit on the ground. Tiny flames burned on the pavement, each leaving behind a small memory of Rosman.
Wasserman said Rosman will be greatly missed, not only by members of Alpha Epsilon Pi, but by the whole greek community.
“If everyone could be a little like Ryan, the world would be a better place,” he said.
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