You said it. Average upper-middle class family who thought their son would graduate after having a hard time in NSU. They must be devastated, and i am sure they never saw it coming.
What has happened is as you said, he will be alive but they know it will be hard for them to see him again. Only those who have gone through this knows what it means;
The pictures of the dad and mom are heartbreaking; and worse are the self-righteous comments mocking them
May Allah help them in this tough time.