The Princeton University community is mourning the death of Kerry Grundlingh, an undergraduate in the Class of 2027. Grundlingh died on July 27 after being struck by a car while cycling in her hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa. She was 21 years old.
Grundlingh majored in economics and was affiliated with Mathey College at Princeton. She completed her secondary education at St. Mary’s School, Waverley.
An accomplished athlete, Grundlingh competed as a member of Princeton’s women’s open rowing team and represented South Africa several times on national age-group teams. During the most recent season, she was part of the varsity eight that secured the Ivy League Championship and later won the Petite Final at the NCAA championships. Her family said she had planned to participate in the Ironman 70.3 event in the Czech Republic this August.
In addition to athletics, Grundlingh contributed to campus life as a tutor through the McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning and participated in programs such as Personal Librarian Program at Princeton University Library, Princeton in Hollywood, and Princeton Pictures.
Her immediate family includes her parents, Debbie and Francois, and her brother James.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 1, at 11 a.m. local time in Johannesburg (5 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time), with livestreaming available.
“The University has extended condolences to the Grundlingh family. In the fall, the University will host an opportunity on campus for students to gather, reflect and support one another.”
Students seeking support can access services from Counseling and Psychological Services by calling 609-258-3141 or find additional resources on the TigerLife website. Staff members may contact Carebridge at 800-437-0911 for professional assistance.
Donations in memory of Kerry Grundlingh can be made to the Princeton University Rowing Association via Princeton Athletics’ online giving page, where donors can select “Princeton University Rowing Association” and include “In Memory Of” along with a name in the comments section.
