Tragedy struck the Hansen family of Gretna, Neb. and the Sigma Chi fraternity when an ISU student died from injuries he sustained at a graduation pool party.

Michael Hansen was an ISU senior loved by all who knew him, mostly because he could make them laugh.

The 23-year-old died Tuesday, May 14 after he dove into a 4-foot-deep pool two days earlier and hit his head on the bottom of the pool.

“I think there were about 50 people at the party – about half high-school and the other half college friends,” said Kevin Terrell, junior in community and regional planning. “We were all by his side after the accident.”

Michael’s funeral was Sunday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Gretna.

“I knew Mike touched a lot of lives . the church was packed and was standing room only,” said Tyson Conrad, college friend and fraternity brother. “People from all over the country flew in to say good-bye to Mike.”

Michael was born April 28, 1979, grew up in Gretna and graduated from Gretna High School in 1997. He played basketball four years of high school. The sport was one of his passions, said his father, Larry Hansen.

“He was an average basketball player, but he thought he was the greatest,” he said.

Hansen enrolled at Iowa State the fall after his high school graduation and was very close to his college graduation. He was a student in industrial engineering