'He's Still Ours': Family Remembers Minn. Man Killed In Texas
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) -- The parents of a college student killed by a hit-and-run driver thanked their community Monday night for its support.
David Grotberg died Thursday night while riding his bike near Baylor University in Texas, where he was a sophomore. Grotberg grew up in Fergus Falls.
Since his death, friends and strangers from Texas to Minnesota have comforted his family.
"It's been like that since he died. We haven't really been alone," mother Diane Grotberg said.
The Grotbergs still feel the fullness of love, touched by the kindness of others -- but the oldest of the six Grotberg children is gone.
"In everything that David did in his life -- everything -- robotics, Baylor, cycling, anything, he wasn't the best at it, but he had a will power that was unstoppable," Clark Grotberg said.
The Grotbergs stayed behind as dozens of friends and strangers biked in David's honor.
"He was in the Baylor marching band. Absolutely loved it," Diane Grotberg said.
David's mother Diane describes an extrovert who was never afraid to try something new.
"He started ballroom dance society --Baylor ballroom dance, I think it was called -- with somebody else. He had never danced in his life," Diane Grotberg said.
But David's family says he was very familiar with bike riding.
"David knew the laws, we researched the laws, he followed the laws," Diane Grotberg said.
He was on his way back from a movie Thursday evening with his girlfriend when a driver hit him and kept going.
"I hope that the person who hit him will come forward," Diane Grotberg said. "We're not angry, we're not vindictive, we would just like to see this done."
Diane says the support from across the country has kept them whole, Even as they begin to grieve a tremendous loss.
"David's gone but he's still ours and he's in heaven," she said. "We're still a family and we'll see him someday."
Authorities in Texas are working to find who hit David.
A memorial fund has been set up to help his family.
