Riley Strain’s parents broke down in tears as they accepted her diploma from the University of Missouri two months after her mysterious death.
Strain, 22, went missing during a bar crawl with friends in Nashville on March 8 and was found dead in a river two weeks later after a major manhunt.
Police said they did not suspect foul play, but his family is still searching for answers about how he died after chilling images emerged of the student stumbling around the city hours before his death.
On Saturday, his heartbroken parents bravely walked onto the stage at the University of Missouri and accepted Strain’s diploma from the Mizzou College of Arts and Sciences.
Her mother cried and raised her diploma to the sky as students rose and gave her a standing ovation in her honor.
Riley Strain, 22, went missing during a bar crawl with friends in Nashville and was found dead two weeks later. His parents accepted his diploma from the University of Missouri in his honor.
Riley’s name was the first to be read at the ceremony.
When his parents and partners accepted the diploma on his behalf, they were greeted with loud applause from fellow students, staff and attendees.
His mother, Michelle, wiped away tears and held up the diploma in tribute to her son.
The crowd of students and parents then stood and clapped and cheered as the family comforted each other on stage.
Riley specialized in financial and business planning before his death.
The Delta Chi fraternity member went missing in Nashville on a trip to his fraternity’s annual spring dance when he was kicked out of Luke’s Bridge Food + Drink shortly after 9:30 p.m.
Strain had told his friends that he would meet them at their hotel.but he was nowhere to be found when the group returned from their night out.
His friends tried to contact him but received no response and reported Strain missing as they were unable to locate him via his Snapchat location.
A two-week search for Strain ended when workers found his body in the Cumberland River eight miles from where he disappeared.
Surveillance footage collected by police later at Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street showed Strain near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Church Street.
The apparently intoxicated student fell, then quickly got up and continued down the street.
Another camera captured him near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North just before 10 pm taking long strides with his head down as he stumbled through the streets.
A massive search was launched with police and residents scouring miles of city, river and countryside.
The two-week search ended when workers found her body in the Cumberland River eight miles from where she disappeared.
An autopsy concluded that his death was “accidental” and there was no evidence of foul play.
It is still unclear what the exact cause of death was or why Strain was in the river.
The student had reportedly FaceTimed with his mother, Michelle Whiteid, that night and she said nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Her parents previously said cops trashed the investigation into her disappearance, as more tips seemed to come from the public than from officers.
The parents’ criticism of police comes after TikTokers found crucial evidence that investigators failed to uncover more than a week after Strain disappeared.
Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen had been scavenging along the riverbank when they located Strain’s bank card.
“My stomach dropped,” Clendening said, describing the moment he turned the card over to reveal Strain’s name. “My innate reaction was to say, ‘Let’s keep looking.’
Strain’s family, who had traveled from Missouri to Nashville for the search, shared the news that he had been found.
Her mother, Michelle, said: “I’m just asking you moms to hold your babies tight tonight please.”
Michelle Strain Whiteid, the heartbroken mother of Riley Strain, broke her silence at a news conference just hours after her 22-year-old son was found dead in a river eight miles from where he disappeared in Nashville.
She echoed the words of her husband Chris, Riley’s stepfather, and the 22-year-old’s father, Ryan Gilbert, about how much they appreciated the support from across the country.
Despite the family previously criticizing police, Gilbert thanked the Metro Nashville Police Department for their efforts, as well as volunteers from the United Cajun Navy.
“It’s just amazing what they’ve done for us,” Gilbert said.
Stepfather Chris thanked the entire Nashville community for their help in trying to find Riley.
“It has been a roller coaster of emotions. We are so grateful for everything you have done for our family. The grace you have given us means so much, more than you will ever imagine.
“To the people of Nashville, I can’t thank you enough for the support, love and encouragement you have shown me and my wife,” Chris said.
