The devastating story of Riley Strain has captured the hearts of Nashville and the country music community.
The 22-year-old University of Missouri student’s body was tragically found in the Cumberland River this week, concluding a two-week search for the missing man. Riley was out on Broadway with some of his fraternity brothers when he was asked to leave Luke’s 32 Bridge, the bar owned by country music singer Luke Bryan.
Rather than returning to his hotel room, Riley wandered the opposite direction, and although presumed to be a tragic accident, he somehow wound up in the river.
Country music singer Carly Pearce was performing in Missouri last night when she took the opportunity to honor Strain, offering up words of encouragement for his friends and family:
“I do not feel like I can live in Nashville and be in the state of Missouri tonight, and not say that we love you Riley Strain. I just wanna say that I’m thinking of his family and I am thinking of his friends and anybody in this room that knows him… I wanna dedicate this to them.”
She went on to perform “Every Little Thing,” the title track and lead single from her debut album of the same name.
RIP Riley… our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.