The University of Wisconsin community has lost a rising star.
Sarah Shulze, a cross-country track star competing in her junior year, died by suicide at the age of 21. Shulze’s family recently shared a statement to her website confirming that she passed away on April 13.
“Balancing athletics, academics and the demands of everyday life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment,” the statement read. “Like you, we are shocked, and grief stricken while holding on tightly to all that Sarah was.”
“Above all other things, Sarah was a power for good in the world,” their statement continued. “Her deep compassion was evident in her devotion to her sisters Abbey and Ella, the love her parents felt from her every single day, and the extra care she took in moments shared with her grandparents and cousins.”
Following her passing, Shulze’s family expanded on the college student’s impact on those closest to her.