You could always tell when Serena Houser was near because her infectious laugh made everyone around her smile, her boyfriend says.
The 20-year-old UNM sophomore, who was described as ambitious and full of life, died Saturday after walking onto the southbound lane of I-25 near Santa Fe and being struck by at least two passing vehicles, State Police Lt. Pat Werick said.
Werick said police responded to the scene at about 5:45 a.m. Saturday morning where Houser's body was found.
State Police found her car on the highway where she apparently parked it before walking into oncoming traffic, he said.
Emergency personnel pronounced Houser dead at the scene, Werick said. The incident shut down a portion of the highway for more than five hours and traffic was rerouted through Santa Fe as police investigated the scene.
State Police are assuming her death was a suicide because they found a handwritten suicide note in her car. Werick said he doesn't believe drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident, but police are waiting on the results of an autopsy before concluding their investigation.
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Ryan Kruskamp, a UNM sophomore who was dating Houser, said anyone who met her couldn't help but like her outgoing personality. He said she genuinely cared about the well-being of everyone she knew, and was always willing to go out of her way to help someone in need.
"She was the most genuine person I've ever known," Kruskamp said. "She made the world a better place."
He said she had many aspirations for the future, hoping to study abroad next year in New Zealand and save money to backpack around the world.
Houser chose nursing as her major at UNM because nothing made her happier than helping those in need, Kruskamp said.
He said he had no reason to believe she was considering committing suicide. He said besides the average stress everyone faces, she was a very happy person who always talked about the future.
Donald Houser, Serena's father, said she was very athletic, enjoying kickboxing and hiking regularly.
"She had many close friends and was just a real joy to be around," he said. "She was a very special person who will be missed tremendously."
