College Baseball Player Killed After Being Struck by Freight Train

A promising college baseball player’s life was cut tragically short after he was struck and killed by a freight train just minutes after leaving church with a friend.

Tomassino “Tommy” Offer, an 18-year-old freshman at Wheaton College in Illinois, died Sunday morning, October 11, in a devastating accident near downtown Wheaton, approximately 25 miles west of Chicago.

According to Metra officials, Offer had stopped at a railroad crossing near Main Street and Front Street while a westbound freight train passed through the area.

Once the train cleared the intersection, Offer began crossing the tracks, unaware that a second freight train was approaching from the opposite direction. He was struck by the eastbound Union Pacific train shortly before 10:30 a.m.

The circumstances remain under investigation, although officials have said there is no indication the incident was anything other than a tragic accident. Reports have differed on whether Offer was driving or walking when he was struck.

Just moments before the collision, Offer had attended services at St. Michael Catholic Church, where he was a familiar face despite having recently moved to the area from Michigan.

The Rev. Santos Castillo told ABC7 Chicago that he spoke with the young athlete shortly before he left with his friend Joe. The pair were reportedly heading to Chicago.

“I definitely saw him before he left, and he just waved at me,” Castillo recalled, describing what would become their final encounter.

Castillo remembered Offer as a quiet, respectful young man who faithfully attended Sunday services.

“He was a nice kid. Didn’t talk a lot, but he was here, and he prayed,” the priest said.

Offer had recently graduated from Notre Dame Preparatory School in Pontiac, Michigan, where he excelled academically and competed in baseball and soccer. He was also part of a state championship-winning soccer team.

He had just begun his freshman year at Wheaton College, where he was pursuing his education while playing for the Thunder baseball program.

His sudden death devastated teammates, classmates and coaches who said he had already made a lasting impression during his short time on campus.

“Our team is grieving and our hearts are heavy as we grieve alongside Tommy’s family and friends,” head baseball coach Matt Husted said in a statement released Tuesday.

Husted described Offer as a joyful, competitive athlete whose kindness extended far beyond the baseball field.

“He was really interested in other people and showed them that they were important to him,” the coach said, adding that Offer had developed friendships throughout the college community.

His former high school also released a heartfelt tribute, remembering him as an exceptional student and an even better person who was deeply loved by teachers, classmates and teammates.

Wheaton College held a memorial gathering Sunday evening, just hours after the tragedy. On Monday, students and community members gathered at St. Michael Catholic Church for a memorial Mass honoring the young athlete.

The church service offered grieving friends and classmates an opportunity to remember Offer’s faith, character and the bright future that was taken from him.