Granite City cheerleader loses legs after being hit by train. Here’s how you can help

Granite City residents are hurting over news that an eighth-grade cheerleader was hit by a train early Friday evening and lost both her legs.

The victim was Serenity McMillan, who attends Coolidge Junior High School. She was walking on railroad tracks that run along Missouri Avenue, near the Kraft Foods Capri-Sun plant.

“Our hearts go out to this family, and they definitely go out to this little girl,” Police Chief Nick Novacich said. “... It’s probably the second most horrendous phone call a parent could ever get, short of finding out their kid is actually deceased.”

Serenity’s mother, Misty Scott, set up a GoFundMe campaign over the weekend to help the family with expenses. By Wednesday evening, it had raised $8,650 with 158 donations.

“(Serenity) has a long road of healing and recovery ahead of her but she is so strong,” Scott wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“Every little bit will help. I want to say thank you to everyone from the bottom of my heart. It’s really hard to reach out when help is needed but I want to teach my daughter that it’s ok to ask for help. I know she will make it through this stronger than she was before.”

Scott couldn’t be reached for further comment.

Coolidge Principal Patrick Curry referred questions to Chris Mitchell, manager of district communications and transportation for Granite City Community Unit School District 9. He emailed the following statement:

“The entire Granite City Community Unit School District #9 is keeping Serenity in our thoughts and prayers as she recovers from a recent accident. We understand this is a difficult time for the family, and we ask that the community respect their privacy. The school district is providing support to the family and students and will continue to monitor the situation.”

A link to the GoFundMe page was posted on the Coolidge Junior High School Cheerleaders Facebook page.

“As many have heard, one of our athletes was in a tragic accident Friday evening,” the post stated. “With the blessing of her family, we are sharing their GoFundMe that will directly benefit her and her family.

“If you can’t donate, please send positive thoughts her way as she begins the long road to recovery.”

Maj. Gary Brooks, assistant chief for Granite City Police Department, emailed a news release on Monday afternoon, stating that officers had responded to a call at 6:22 p.m. Friday about a person who had been struck by a train in the 2900 block of Missouri Avenue.

A railroad track runs parallel to Missouri Avenue in that vicinity.

“Upon arrival officers located the subject who had sustained life threatening injuries and immediately began rendering aid,” Brooks wrote. “The victim was transported to an area hospital where they are currently receiving medical treatment. At this time the victim is considered to be in critical condition.”

The train belongs to Norfolk Southern railroad company, according to Brooks. “They are conducting their own investigation,” he stated in an email.

The news release didn’t identify the victim. However, Chief Novacich acknowledged seeing posts about the GoFundMe campaign for Serenity’s family and predicted it would be followed by more efforts to help.

“When something like this happens, the people of Granite City come together,” he said.

Already, Nick’s Bar & Grill has planned a taco fundraiser on April 16, and someone set up a Meal Train campaign. People are being asked to donate or deliver meals to the family during Serenity’s hospital stay.

A Norfolk Southern spokesman couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.

As required by law, the company alerted the Federal Railroad Administration to Friday’s accident, but the agency won’t be conducting an investigation, according to FRA spokesman William Wong.

“We have specific criteria when we launch a formal investigation for grade-crossing collisions,” he said. “That criteria includes a fatality involving a motor vehicle or evidence that an active warning device fails to function at the time of the accident.

“So in those cases, we would be investigating a highway rail grade-crossing collision. Otherwise, such accidents are investigated by local law enforcement or sometimes state law enforcement.”

Norfolk Southern is required to submit a report on Friday’s accident by the end of May that will be posted on the FRA website, Wong said.

Granite City police investigations in such cases are mainly to make sure there’s no negligence or malfeasance on anyone’s part, Chief Novacich said.

Granite City is home to a sprawling U.S. Steel complex and other industrial facilities. It’s served by all six Class I railroad companies and several regional lines, according to the city’s website.

“Granite and its surrounding cities make up one of the largest rail hubs within the St. Louis area, which is the 3rd largest rail hub in America,” the website states.

Despite the large number of train tracks in Granite City, railroad-related injuries are rare, Novacich said. The last one he recalls involved a suicidal woman who walked away from Gateway Regional Medical Center and died after being hit by a train. That was more than 10 years ago.

“(What happened Friday was) just a terrible, terrible incident,” Novacich said. “But this is not a common thing.”