BOSTON (WSVN) — The Florida International University community is mourning the loss of a former professor after he was hit and killed by a Commuter Rail train near Boston on Tuesday morning.
Moses Shumow, who only recently moved to Boston to teach at Emerson College, was riding his bicycle through the pedestrian cut-through at around 8:20 a.m. when an outbound train struck him, transit police said.
Shumow was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“It is with great sadness that we write to inform you of the sudden death of Associate Professor Moses Shumow, who was a 2001 graduate of Emerson’s MA in Broadcast Journalism program and a new addition to the Journalism faculty this fall,” Emerson President Lee Pelton wrote in a letter to the college community.
Pelton also wrote that Shumow came to Emerson from Miami, where he taught journalism and media at FIU for nine years.
“Moses was passionate about the role of media in vulnerable and marginalized communities, and he was deeply excited to return to Emerson and to engage his students in this important work,” Pelton explained. “The fact that his life and his work were cut short this morning is an unimaginable tragedy.”
FIU College of Communications, Architecture and the Arts Dean Brian Schriner released a statement that reads in part, “We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic passing of our friend and colleague Dr. Moses Shumow. Moses was loved and respected by all who knew him. He was kind and caring, and he made a tremendous difference in the lives of his students, colleagues, and community. Our deepest sympathies to his wife and family.”
Shumow, a native of New Mexico, had produced documentary films for PBS, National Geographic, History Channel and Discovery.
Emerson student Angel Salcedo said the death of Shumow is a tremendous loss to the journalism community.
“In this industry, you rarely find people who are genuinely good people and Moses was a genuinely good person. It was refreshing,” he said.
Chairperson of Emerson’s Department of Journalism, Janet Kolodzy, added that Shumow was a professor who wanted to teach students how their work could make an impact.
“His whole focus has been trying to bring stories from communities that don’t get covered and help students understand how to cover those kinds of communities and have a strong impact in terms of their work,” she said.
Andrew Owen, who happened to be early for his train, witnessed Shumow get hit.
“I just saw this guy bolting in front of the train,” he explained. “I was like, ‘Oh, God. He’s not going to try and cross is he?’ And he did.”
Shumow leaves behind a wife and three children.
Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services are offering walk-in appointments to students who want to speak with grief counselors.
Transit police are continuing their investigation.
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