David Grossman, 21, of Austin, passed away on May 28, 2026, due to an unexpected medical emergency. Grossman was a senior Bible and Ministry major with an AmeriCorps summer internship at the Abilene Food Pantry.

Grossman’s friends and family described him as servant-hearted, kind, funny, empathetic and faithful; they all said he was willing to drop everything to help a friend.

“He was the embodiment of joy,” said Molina, Grossman’s girlfriend,  junior education major from Odessa. “I remember how special it felt to be walking with him and talking about everything under the sun.”

Casen Conley, a May graduate from Aledo, was one of Grossman’s closest friends. He said he remembered Grossman running up to him after graduation crying tears of joy because Grossman was so happy for Conley.

Grossman was involved on campus as a member of Frater Sodalis, Turning Point USA, LYNAY and Tau Chi Alpha Monk Warriors.

Conley said that faith was the most important thing to Grossman, whose favorite thing on campus was chapel, specifically Praise Day Friday.

“I never had to go to chapel by myself,” Conley said. “He would always go with me, and we loved how formative it was for both of us.”

Another of Grossman’s friends, Mikey Hadrick, junior youth and Family Ministry major from The Woodlands, said the same thing, that Grossman always sat in the front row at praise day.

“He’d go in early sometimes and save the seats by putting his backpack in there,” Hadrick said. “He just really brought the energy during Praise Day.”

When most people were more shy and reserved while worshiping, Hadrick said Grossman was always smiling, dancing and enthusiastically clapping slightly off-beat during the more energetic “Days of Elijah,” more concerned about the joy of worship than he was about what others thought of him.

Hadrick said it was encouraging to see the way Grossman acted, because he couldn’t help but influence others to relax as well.

Kendall Ganster, a May graduate from Rowlett was another of Grossman’s close friends. She said that his loud, funny, kind nature brought out the best in those around him.

“He would always make me laugh. He was always kind of the clown of the group. He’d make us laugh all the time,” Ganster said. “If I was somewhere without David, I would wish that he was there, so that he could bring up my energy, it made such a difference.” 

Grossman was born on Oct. 23, 2004. A visitation was held at his home church, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Austin on June 8.

To honor Grossman’s memory, Rachelle Grossman, David’s mom, said his family started the David Grossman Memorial Scholarship fund for students whose lives reflect Christ.

“So our intention with the scholarship is not necessarily based on academic merit,” she said. “It’s to honor somebody who wants to kind of walk the walk, that would study in Christian ministry, that maybe wasn’t the most academically gifted on paper but just carries that same spirit of caring and Christ-like image [as David].”