MEGAN COURTNEY | Culture Editor

Lindenwood rugby player Hamilton Marufu will be remembered at a memorial service Sept. 6 at the Cultural Center.

Marufu, 23, a student-athlete from Zimbabwe, died of an apparent suicide July 28 in San Antonio, Texas. He studied international business and had one semester left to complete his degree. 

More than $12,000 was raised by a GoFundMe page organized by Marufu’s former teammate Lungi Tshuma. The money was used to take Marufu’s body back to Zimbabwe and to hold two memorial services in the United States.

Alex Moraes, a friend of Marufu’s and organizer of the Hamilton’s Memorial Service Facebook page, said in a Facebook message that he and Marufu worked together with Moraes’ business, which helps international students study abroad.

“I met him ever since he came as a freshman student to LU,” Moraes said. “His family and I have been in direct contact regarding all of what we organized.”

Moraes said the service is being held in the Cultural Center  to accommodate the expected crowd. The service will begin at 6 p.m.