Student from Cedarville University dies in plane crash near Washington D.C.

CEDARVILLE, Ohio — Hundreds gathered at Cedarville University on Friday to remember the life of 20-year-old Grace Maxwell. 

An engineering student tragically passed away in a recent plane crash near Washington D.C. The university chapel was filled with a solemn atmosphere as fellow students, faculty members, and friends gathered to mourn the loss and honor the memory of Grace.

“I had to send a really hard email yesterday,” said Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. 

He shared that he also spoke with Maxwell’s family.

During the gathering, White shared a heartfelt conversation he had with Grace’s father. White mentioned, “I spoke to her dad and asked him, ‘What can we do? There are no words that can ease our pain,’ and he responded, ‘I know you all believe in the power of prayer. Please keep us in your prayers.'”

The memorial service included songs of remembrance and prayers. For those who knew Maxwell, the pain of her absence is palpable.

“Already the unit feels so empty without her,” shared Aspen Schiebout, a close friend and hall mate of Maxwell.

Friends described Maxwell as kind and someone who could be a little reserved when you first meet her.

“She’s very quiet to people she doesn’t know,” Schiebout explained, “but once you get to know her, she is so vibrant and so loud.”

Another friend, Riley Blair, recalled cherished memories of Grace.

Riley reminisced about the pleasant memories shared with Grace, recalling, “Every Sunday at 5 p.m., we would have game nights. Grace would arrive with a huge bag filled with various games, eagerly engaging in hours of play with us.”

In the end, those within the Cedarville community told 10TV they’re not only mourning the loss of who Grace was but also the potential of what could have been. 

“She was on the team this semester for one of her engineering classes that was supposed to make an assistive device for a young boy who is not able to feed himself. I think he deals with tremors or something like that. So, they were going to make an assistive device so he could feed himself, ” said Schiebout, “So, he didn’t have to rely on somebody else for every meal. And she was really excited about that. She was telling everybody how excited she was to be working on that project.”

The university has announced that counseling services will be available for students who need support during this difficult time.