Riley Strain's mom has recalled the last conversation she had with her son before he went missing.
The University of Missouri student had been visiting Nashville with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers when he disappeared on March 8.
The 22-year-old had been asked by staff to leave Luke's 32 Bridge bar for being intoxicated and was seen on surveillance footage strolling around the city.
After weeks of widespread search, Strain's body was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville on March 22.
The finance major's mom, Michelle Whiteid, opened up about the last time she spoke to her beloved son.
The 52-year-old revealed to PEOPLE that on the night Strain went missing, she had a migraine and was texting back and forth with her son.
Strain reportedly shared a picture of himself before he and his friends went out, and also texted her a photo of himself at Miranda Lambert’s Bar.
Whiteid thinks her son was at Garth Brooks' bar when he FaceTimed her with his friends, saying: "I was laying down, and I didn’t want him to know I didn’t feel good, but I was just telling him that I was watching a show."
She said Strain and his friends joked with her about why she was in bed so early: “They were giving me a hard time, saying, 'It’s 7:30, what are you doing in bed already? Come on, Mom, get up!'
“We FaceTimed for a while, he wanted me to see around, and he was so excited,” she said. “Then we hung up and he texted me and he was like, ‘It was kind of hard to hear you, but I wanted you to see what was happening.’
"I said, ‘Well, you boys be safe. Make good choices. I love you guys.’ And he said, “I love you, too,’" she recalled. "And that’s it, that’s the last I have heard from him.”
A preliminary autopsy released in March stated that Strain's death was "accidental" with no foul play.
Now, it's been revealed through a full autopsy completion that the student's tragic death was caused by drowning and ethanol intoxication, with the manner of death deemed accidental, as reported by TMZ.
The report also disclosed his blood alcohol concentration at the time of examination, noting a high level of 0.228.
The autopsy also found no significant trauma to Riley's body. Additionally, traces of THC were detected in his system.
Strain’s mother spoke through tears as she expressed her gratitude for those involved in the search for her son.
“I want to reiterate how thankful we are for everyone and how much we appreciate everyone’s support, love, and prayers because we feel them. We’ve felt every one of them,” she said, per CBS 42.
“I just ask that you mamas out there hug your babies tight tonight, please. Please for me,” she added.