CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — An 18-year-old died at Davenport University early Sunday morning, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies and medical personnel were called to student housing on campus around 1 a.m. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but were unsuccessful.
The young man has been identified by family as Matthew Whitcomb, a Davenport student and Jenison High School graduate.
On Thursday, his family released the following statement:
Our family has been devastated by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son and brother, Matthew. He was the youngest of three and an amazing young man with a bright future ahead of him. We have no words for this loss and are saddened that we will not see Matthew become the man that we know he would have been, but we thank God for the time we had with him and look forward to the day that we will meet him again.
Matthew was a 2021 Graduate of Jenison High School and a current student at Davenport University. Our family would like to give thanks to the Jenison Community, the Davenport University Community and the Ethiopian Community of which Matthew was a part, as well as all of those who have reached out or given thoughts of comfort in this time. The void left by his untimely passing will never be filled.
Visitations for the family will be held Thursday, April 7, from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday, April 8, from noon to 1 p.m. On Friday, that visitation will be followed by a funeral service and burial.
The visitations and memorial are taking place at Cook Memorial Chapel, located at 4235 Prairie Street SW in Grandville. The burial service will take place at 50 Lake Michigan Drive in Grand Rapids.
Police say Whitcomb suffered a medical emergency and that there were no suspicious circumstances.
Investigators are working with the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office on further findings. The incident remains under investigation, police say.
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