Northern Kentucky University student Marie Faust (Covington Police Department)
Friends, loved ones, and members of the community are mourning the loss of Marie Faust, a 22-year-old transgender student at Northern Kentucky University. His body was discovered Sunday night after a month-long search.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Monday, May 26, Faust’s family wrote, “Our hearts are broken and while this is not the outcome we had hoped for, we can only pray that their findings bring closure and comfort to all who have been hurt.”
Faust, who used he/they pronouns, was last seen alive on April 27, on security camera footage in Covington, Kentucky.
About a month later, on May 24, an independent search team found his body near an industrial area in Wilder, Kentucky, across the Licking River from Latonia.
The Covington Police Department says no criminal activity is suspected at this time, but the coroner’s report has not yet been released.
In Faust’s memory, his family announced the establishment of an arts scholarship fund. “We are establishing an arts scholarship fund in their name to honor their love of the arts,” the post reads. “Proceeds from donations and the sale of Marie’s work will be used to support other art students in the community.”
In the comments section of the family’s posts, friends have begun sharing their favorite memories of Faust.
“Marie was one of the first friends I made in college and made me feel so safe about myself,” one friend wrote.
“I met them a day or two before they went missing, and they were so sweet. I was wearing extra nice clothes that day, and they complimented me in detail for about five minutes straight… They were a huge inspiration to my art. I tried to be like them and put more soul into each of my pieces like they did.”
Faust is a fourth-year art major at NKU and was scheduled to graduate on May 8th. His work will be exhibited in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s “Art After Dark” series on May 29th.
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Source: PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news – www.thepinknews.com
