The Wheaton community is mourning a college student-athlete who was killed when struck by a train Sunday morning after attending church.
The DuPage County coroner has identified the student as Tomassino, “Tommy,” Offer, 18, of Washington Township, Michigan.
The crash occurred around 10:15 a.m. in downtown Wheaton as Offer was walking across the Union Pacific tracks, Metra officials said.
The teenager had stopped at the tracks for a westbound Union Pacific freight train. Witnesses said it appeared Offer proceeded across the tracks after the westbound train had left and was struck by an eastbound freight train, Metra spokesperson Meg Thomas-Reile said Tuesday.
“The incident remains under investigation but there’s no information at this time indicating that this was any other than a tragic accident,” Thomas-Reile said.
Offer was a freshman on Wheaton College’s baseball team, according to the school.
“Our team is grieving, and our hearts are heavy as we grieve alongside Tommy’s family and friends,” Wheaton head baseball coach Matt Husted said in a statement. “This is a difficult time for us all; however, we have peace in knowing he was strong in his faith and that Christ is with him and those close to him.”
Offer had just attended Mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wheaton when the incident occurred.
“For a short time, Tommy has faithfully worshipped with us usually at the 9 a.m. mass,” St. Michael’s officials said on the church’s Facebook page. The Michigan native “found a spiritual home here at St. Michael’s since he arrived in Wheaton in August.”
The church held a memorial Mass for Offer on Monday and asked people to “pray for the soul of Tommasino” on Facebook.
Husted said Offer was “sincere in all aspects of his life.”
“He was joyful, but a competitor — all qualities that made him a great teammate,” Husted added. “He was really interested in other people and showed them that they were important to him.”