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George Whittenburg, 21, died after his parked Toyota Tundra “started to roll over, hit and roll over,” the Athens-Clarke County Police Department said.
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The incident is still under investigation
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Whittenburg was a student at the University of Georgia and a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity
A 21-year-old University of Georgia student died late last month after being struck by his own truck, authorities said. He is now being remembered for his depth of faith, his courage and his sense of purpose.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department first responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 300 block of Peabody Street in the early evening of Jan. 28, the department said in a news release.
Based on an investigation, police said the victim, later identified as George Whittenburg, was standing outside the driver’s side door of his parked 2018 Toyota Tundra when “the vehicle began to roll in reverse, striking and rolling over him.”
The Tundra continued to reverse and hit an unoccupied vehicle before coming to a stop after colliding with a tree, police added.
Whittenburg died two days later at the hospital, police said. An investigation is underway.
According to an obituary, Whittenburg, who grew up in Austin, Texas, was a third-year student at the University of Georgia studying accounting.
“Soon after arriving at college, George began devoting his time to serving others in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, inmates pursuing recovery at The Potter’s House, Cru missions, and in his daily interactions with others,” his obituary reads. ” Â } George was a man committed to serving our Lord with sacrificial joy, ready to go wherever God called him. George’s intimate relationship with God, particularly at such a young age, was a blessing to all those around him). “
Loved ones remembered him in his obituary as “disarmingly vulnerable yet courageous…both humble and wise. George struck a rare balance, embracing a light joy in everyday life while maintaining a deep and reverent respect for the sacred.”
According to his obituary, Whittenburg was in his driveway about to meet friends for dinner and basketball on Jan. 28 when he was hit by his truck.
He is survived by his parents and two brothers.
“We bear witness to that truth, we remember George’s legacy, and we celebrate that God’s work in George on earth has been completed. We take comfort in knowing that George is now restored and rejoices in the arms of Jesus,” reads his obituary.
On February 2, a prayer vigil attended by hundreds was held in Whittenburg’s memory at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house in Athens. The Red and the Black reported. Whittenburg was a member of the fraternity.
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“He fulfilled his purpose,” said Wells Muller, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, according to The Red and the Black.
“He was the mentor of the younger generations. He loved and took care of God’s creation, because he loved to fly fish. But all that was said, he touched all our lives,” said Muller. “I hope that this is a wake-up call for many of us, from our hearts, to love each other, nurture each other’s friendships and more importantly, find your faith in God.”
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