Following the accident, a group of Kiefer’s friends and classmates acted quickly to organize a service to honor his memory. 

“We were in our dorm room and we just decided that we should come and pray, just the group of us, and stretched out an idea that we’d just invite everybody else,” business freshman Alec Seipenko said.

As the idea grew, St. John Church and Student Center became involved.

“I didn’t realize that the car accident that was all over the news yesterday was Mitchel until this morning, and when they contacted us to do a prayer service (we said) absolutely, that’s what we’re here for,” St. John Church associate pastor Father Ryan Riley said.

Director of campus ministry at St. John Church and Student Center Katie Diller said the service wasn’t a funeral or mass, but an opportunity to reflect on Scripture, remember Mitchel and raise him up in prayer.

The service was attended by a small pool of students, most of whom were alumni of Detroit Catholic Central High School.

Detroit Central Catholic High School president Father John Huber said the school sees between 40 and 50 graduated students go on to attend MSU every year, and more than 100 currently do.

Riley and Huber presided over the service together, reading Scripture and leading prayer and hymns.

“We were more than, I’d say honored, to do this, to be able to offer prayers for Mitchel, for his friends and family and whoever wanted to show up, even for the greater campus community,” Riley said. “It all kind of came together by the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

During a silent prayer at the end of the service, students were invited to speak regarding Kiefer. One of two to do so was premedical freshman Kyle Isaacson.

“He was my best friend,” Isaacson said. “Their family is just my second family, their house is my second house, I’d go there all the time, I just miss him. ... I’m just in shock right now.”

Kiefer’s friends and classmates had nothing but praise to say about him.

“If I say anything (about him), then I’m leaving something else out,” Seipenko said. “Couldn’t find a guy who disliked him.”