JMU students continue to mourn and heal together after fatal crash last week

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - JMU students are continuing to heal together following the death of three students in a West Virginia car crash last week. John “Luke” Fergusson, Nicholas Troutman, and Joshua Mardis were killed in the crash and two other students remain in the hospital with serious injuries.

JMU held a vigil for the students on Sunday night and students continue to mourn the loss.

“Moments like these are really when we see the true measure of the community I think that’s something that sticks with you forever,” said JMU Student Body President Shawdee Bakhtiari.

Bakhtiari said the JMU community has been brought closer together by the tragic loss.

“It’s been very somber and quiet but very much supportive. I think that’s something you see all throughout campus no matter where you are or who you are when you hear of news like this,” she said. “As a community, we rally around each other and I feel like that’s a sense that I’ve gotten in all the spaces I’ve been, wanting to support and feeling that togetherness.”

Bakhtiari said that the vigil ceremony on Sunday night was very moving and had a beautiful sense of community. It was a good step to help students mourn the loss together.

“There were students who stayed for a sizable amount of time after the vigil and programming had ended. That to me was so indicative of the community we have here at JMU of just wanting to be around each other and rally around each other and support each other,” she said.

Student leadership has worked to emphasize the University’s mental health resources in wake of the tragedy and be available to those who are really hurting.

“Being there for one another, at this point it’s really all you can do is just giving that shoulder to lean on and giving our support to everyone involved, everyone that was close to them, and sending our thoughts and our love,” said Bakhtiari.

The Hardy County Sheriff’s Office has not yet determined what caused the fatal crash and the investigation is ongoing.