Shock, grief, and sadness surrounds the Brandeis University campus after a horrific shuttle bus crash Saturday night claimed the life of 25-year-old undergraduate student Vanessa Mark.
The bus driver and 26 other students were injured.
Classes at Brandeis University have been called off Monday and Tuesday in the wake of the bus crash over the weekend. The shuttle bus was returning to the Waltham, Massachusetts, campus from a hockey game Saturday night at Northeastern in Boston when it crashed into a tree on South Street just after 10:30 p.m.
Some of the students on board were at that game, but others were not on the bus for that purpose, and it was not chartered for a specific event, Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan's office said Monday.
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University leaders have described Mark as an active and cherished member of the Brandeis community.
A vigil was held Monday evening at a chapel on campus as students mourn the loss of Mark.
'Tragic Accident'
"Nearly all" of the 27 people who were taken the hospital following Saturday's bus crash have since been released, according to a message posted to the Brandeis University website. The university noted in the message that it has been working with police in Waltham as well as area hospitals to check on the people involved, and ensure their emergency contacts have been notified.
NBC10 Boston crews who covered the story Saturday night captured footage of the bus, which was seriously mangled following the crash. The Weston fire chief had initially said the bus rolled over multiple times, but officials said Sunday morning their investigation suggested the bus hit a tree. Ryan's office said Monday that there was no evidence of a rollover. A Brandeis spokesperson also said the school had no information saying the shuttle rolled over.
"There was lots of blood and people were obviously very hurt," Meghan Jacobs said, who lives across the street from where the crash happened. "It's very shocking, very shocking...it wasn't expected obviously. It's horrible, and I'm just praying for everybody."
The shuttle was contracted by Brandeis, and belongs to Joseph's Transportation, which is based in Medford. Officials have not said what may have caused the crash, and an investigation is ongoing. The bus company has not responded to NBC10 Boston's request for comment.
Anyone who has information or who saw what happened is being asked to call police in Waltham at 781-314-3600.
'Sadness... Rippling Through Our Community'
"Adding to the difficulty of absorbing such painful news is the fact that we all have many unanswered questions at this time," University President Ron Liebowitz said. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our students, and we are committed to learning all that we can about how this happened."
Brandeis students have been encouraged to reach out for help if they find themselves struggling to cope after the loss of one of their fellow students.
Classes were canceled Monday and Tuesday, so students could head home for the holiday break sooner. School officials noted that students who stay on campus will have opportunities for support as well.
"In a few days, many of us will be gathering with family and friends; while this holiday may be difficult, it is my hope that spending time with loved ones will help us begin to heal," Liebowitz said. "When we return from the break, I know our community will continue to come together in support of one another."
In a letter to the university community, Liebowitz said Mark was currently on leave, but was living in Waltham and an active and cherished member of the Brandeis community. He said officials had been in touch with her family and will keep the community up to date on how her memory will be honored.
Brandeis University students reacted to the tragic news on Monday.
"I was just in shock, like, this is – you usually hear about that stuff, and it involved people from our school. So, you don’t really – it was kind of scary, someone you knew could have been on there," sophomore Madison Williams-Casey said.
“I or my brother could have easily been on that bus, then I immediately said we weren’t, I need to figure out who was and make sure the people around them are getting what they need,” Brandeis University senior Draken Garfinkel said.
Students say they use these shuttle buses all the time to get to and from Boston and Cambridge – and now they don’t feel safe.
“The Boston shuttle is something that’s like integral to campus life and I just feel like there’s been fear that’s been instilled obviously,” Brandeis University junior Nikita Mangaru said.
For now, the focus is on healing.
“I think Brandeis makes a very clear stance of togetherness, so I think standing on that pillar of our school is something that is something that is going to help us get through this time, definitely," Mangaru said.
