By Chantal Barlow and Katherine Sheets
On April 20, three students of Asbury Theological Seminary were driving down Interstate 169 when their vehicle collided with an oncoming car. Driver 28-year-old Aaron Nickerson of Williamsburg, Virginia, died in the crash. The other two Seminary students, Anastasia Marcum and Uma John, and two persons in the other vehicle were severely injured; all four spent time recovering in the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.
Since the initial report, specific details of the accident and the status of the other two seminary students’ recovery have not been released. There has also been no update on the other two people involved in the accident. The Asbury Seminary community is grieving the loss of a student, friend and brother during this time.
Asbury Seminary dedicated its chapel on April 24 as a memorial service for Nickerson. During the service, students and faculty stood up and shared what Nickerson meant to them and told stories from his life.
Student Amanda Duke shared the words that Nickerson’s lifelong friend, Jonathan Seiver, had written for the service. Seiver wrote, “When I think about Aaron, three distinct qualities come to mind. Aaron loved being around people. He loved knowledge. And he wanted everyone to know that God is real.”
Nickerson was known for his joy, kindness and goofiness and for his frequent finger-guns and well-groomed mustache. As speaker Randall Cupp said at the service, “[His] divine joy would just rock people.”
Via Facebook on April 20, Seminary President Dr. Timothy Tennent said, “The entire Seminary community comes together with deep sadness to pray for the students, their families, and the two others who were involved in today’s terrible tragedy. We pray for healing for those injured and God’s deep peace and comfort for the family of Aaron Nickerson.”
