DAYTON — The University of Dayton is mourning the loss of a student.
Braden Balser is one of the few UD students on campus for the summer.
He checked his university email Friday and found the tragic news about one of his classmates.
“Yeah. I saw there was a 21-year-old that sadly passed down in Italy studying abroad. It’s very sad news,” Balser said.
Friday morning UD announced that 21-year-old Connor DiNapoli died Thursday while studying abroad in Rome.
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This was the summer between his sophomore and junior years at UD.
University officials did not offer many other details in a statement that read in part, “we extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to Connor’s family, friends faculty, staff, and our entire campus community.”
UD said DiNapoli was a marketing major.
Balser said he didn’t know Dinapoli but he does know what the UD community will do to help after this tragedy.
“And UD, they have the best people, the best campus. And I know that every single person around is going to be praying for him and supporting him and his loved ones,” he said.
UD said they will hold a memorial service for Dinapoli in the fall and are assisting the other students who were a part of that study abroad group.