Wheaton Community Mourns Loss of College Student-Athlete Killed by Train

The Wheaton community is deeply mourning the tragic loss of Tomassino ‘Tommy’ Offer, an 18-year-old college student-athlete from Washington Township, Michigan. Offer lost his life early Sunday morning after being struck by a train. He had just attended Mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Wheaton.

According to Metra officials, the incident happened around 10:15 a.m. in downtown Wheaton. Offer was crossing the Union Pacific tracks after stopping for a westbound freight train. Witnesses reported that he proceeded across the tracks once the train had departed, only to be struck by an approaching eastbound freight train.

Metra spokesperson Meg Thomas-Reile indicated that there is no current evidence suggesting anything other than a tragic accident. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Offer was a freshman and a member of the Wheaton College baseball team. His coach, Matt Husted, expressed the team’s profound sadness, stating, ‘Our team is grieving, and our hearts are heavy as we mourn alongside Tommy’s family and friends. 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.’

St. Michael’s Catholic Church, where Offer had been attending regularly and found spiritual solace, held a memorial Mass in his honor. Church officials shared on Facebook, ‘For a short time, Tommy has faithfully worshipped with us, usually at the 9 a.m. Mass.’ The church community asked people to ‘pray for the soul of Tommasino.’

Wheaton College’s head baseball coach praised Offer, saying he was sincere and joyful, yet a fierce competitor, qualities that made him a standout teammate. Husted added, ‘He was genuinely interested in other people and showed them they were important to him.’