{"id":2324751,"date":"2024-08-14T22:09:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T02:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsnations-budding-journalist-killed-during-freak-train-accident-in-dramatic-situation-worst-nightmare-ever\/"},"modified":"2024-08-14T22:12:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T02:12:26","slug":"newsnations-budding-journalist-killed-during-freak-train-accident-in-dramatic-situation-worst-nightmare-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsnations-budding-journalist-killed-during-freak-train-accident-in-dramatic-situation-worst-nightmare-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"NewsNation\u2019s Budding Journalist Killed During Freak Train Accident in Dramatic Situation &#8211; &#8216;Worst Nightmare Ever&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnewsnations-budding-journalist-killed-during-freak-train-accident-in-dramatic-situation-worst-nightmare-ever%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2324751&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Grace Bentkowski, a 22-year-old journalist with NewsNation, tragically lost her\u200b life after being struck by a train at the Hegewisch South \u2062Shore station in \u2062Chicago on July 25.\u2064 Bentkowski was returning home to Dyer, Indiana, and her family reported that she crossed the\u2064 tracks after other \u2063passengers had done\u2064 so. Her father, Phil Bentkowski, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/threats-and-abduction-the-chinese-tactics-to-control-the-uyghur-genocide\/\" title=\"Chinese tactics to control the Uyghur genocide: threats and abduction.\">received distressing news<\/a> as he\u200d tracked \u200cher journey via a\u200c GPS app, leading him to fear that she was involved in an accident. Although \u2063she was \u2062initially alive when taken to the hospital, she succumbed to her injuries despite surgical efforts.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-emerges-as-dividing-line-for-dems-in-pennsylvania-senate-primary\/\" title=\"Biden Emerges as Dividing Line for Dems in Pennsylvania Senate Primary\">incident raised concerns<\/a>\u200d about safety at \u2062the train\u200d station, as the family stated there were no warning signals or sounds to \u2062alert her of the approaching\u2063 train. Bentkowski&#8217;s father emphasized the need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/retired-navy-officer-gets-100-stitches-after-brutal-mugging-in-philadelphia-while-walking-his-dog\/\" title=\"Navy officer mugged in Philly, needs 100 stitches.\">improved safety measures<\/a>, calling for signs \u200dinstructing pedestrians to &#8220;stop,\u200d look, listen&#8221; at the station. In response, \u200cthe Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation \u200cDistrict announced plans to install warning\u2063 signs and a train whistle board to enhance \u200dsafety protocols\u2062 at pedestrian \u200dcrossings.<\/p>\n<p>NewsNation praised\u200b Bentkowski as a bright talent in the industry, highlighting her \u2062enthusiasm for journalism and the positive impact she had on her colleagues. The community mourns her loss, with her family advocating for \u200dchanges to prevent \u2062similar tragedies in the future.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section>\n<p>A 22-year-old budding journalist was killed last month after being struck by a train in Chicago, leading her parents to call for increased safety around the station where the incident took place.<\/p>\n<p>Grace Bentkowski, 22, who had worked for several months as a creative producer at NewsNation, was killed on July 25 at the Hegewisch South Shore station while heading back to the family home in Dyer, Indiana, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/wgntv.com\/northwest-indiana\/beautiful-inside-and-out-family-wants-answers-after-young-journalist-struck-killed-at-hegewisch-train-station\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WGN-TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>At the station, riders must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/woman-wearing-headphones-doesnt-hear-oncoming-train-miraculously-survives-collision\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cross the tracks<\/a> to go and from the parking lot. On the day of her death, her family said Bentkowski crossed after others had done so, but was struck.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have the kids on a Life360 [GPS] app and we saw that she got on the train,&rdquo; Phil Bentkowski, her father, said. &ldquo;And then a delay came up on the South Shore website. The next one said train-pedestrian accident. I thought, &lsquo;glad it&rsquo;s probably not her.&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Then the GPS route started going backward into Chicago at 70 to 80 miles per hour toward a hospital.<\/p>\n<p>  <script> \t\t\t\tif( ! getCookie( 'ff_subbed' ) ) if( typeof FFADS.replace_ict !='undefined' ) if( FFADS.replace_ict ) eval( FFADS.replace_ict ); \t\t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I got a bad feeling she was the one who was hit, as soon as I saw she ended up at University of Chicago I hopped in the car and drove down there,&rdquo; Bentkowski said. &ldquo;I spoke to District 3 CPD or transit police and they asked &lsquo;are you related to Grace Bentkowski?&rsquo;&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>At the time, she was alive, but surgery was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/train-15-passenger-van-involved-horrific-fatal-collision\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">unable to save her<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My initial thought was &lsquo;that&rsquo;s not possible,&rsquo;&rdquo; her father said. &ldquo;Was under the assumption that if you were hit by a train leaving the station, obviously it wouldn&rsquo;t be that fast and worst case was maybe a broken leg. It&rsquo;s the worst nightmare ever.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bentkowski said video of the incident shows there was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/dramatic-video-shows-entire-pennsylvania-family-narrowly-avoid-hit-train\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">no warning<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;No noise, no nothing. From the video all you hear is a thud,&rdquo; Bentkowski said. &ldquo;Then the engineer blows a horn.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Family members now want increased safety at the station.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s such a safety issue, this is 2024,&rdquo; Bentkowski said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand why there isn&rsquo;t &lsquo;stop, look, listen&rsquo; safety signs&ndash;&mdash; it makes no sense. She was thrown 50 feet.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">NewsNation journalist killed in freak train accident <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/k9qpiKXpgM\">https:\/\/t.co\/k9qpiKXpgM<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iZZ7KYEjWw\">pic.twitter.com\/iZZ7KYEjWw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; New York Post (@nypost) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nypost\/status\/1823821924167815415?\">August 14, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District said it will add warning signs.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are reaching out to an engineering firm to determine what it will take to add active warning to the pedestrian crossings,&rdquo; it told WGN.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the interim, we are installing warning signage, and, although not required by law, the South Shore Line will institute a train whistle board to sound as trains approach the crossings,&rdquo; it said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Grace Bentkowski was a rising star at NewsNation,&rdquo; the network said in a statement, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/08\/14\/us-news\/newsnation-journalist-grace-bentkowski-killed-in-train-accident\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">New York Post<\/a>. &ldquo;Her passion for journalism and eagerness to learn the ropes was infectious and her willingness to jump in and learn the TV news business was inspiring to her colleagues. Grace was one of those rare people who brought light into any room in which she entered.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are heartbroken for her loved ones and family, and she will never be far from our hearts,&rdquo; NewsNation said.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> <label>* Name<\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> <\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> <label>* <\/label> <br \/> <input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> <\/div>\n<p> <label>* Message<\/label> <br \/> <textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\">  <\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\">  <\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\">   <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A 22-year-old aspiring journalist tragically lost her life last month after being hit by a train in Chicago, prompting her parents to advocate for enhanced safety measures at the station where the accident occurred. Grace Bentkowski, who had been employed as a creative producer at NewsNation for several months, died on July 25 at the Hegewisch South Shore station while returning home to Dyer, Indiana, as reported by WGN-TV. At this station, passengers must cross the tracks to access the parking lot. On the day of her death, her family stated that Bentkowski crossed after others had done so but was subsequently struck by a train. &#8220;We have our kids on a Life360 [GPS] app and saw that she boarded the train,&#8221; said Phil Bentkowski, her father. &#8220;Then we noticed a delay on the South Shore website followed by an alert about a train-pedestrian accident. I thought to myself that it probably wasn&#8217;t her.&#8221; However, he soon saw that her GPS location was moving rapidly back toward Chicago at speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour towards a hospital.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I immediately felt something was wrong when I saw she ended up at University of Chicago; I jumped in my car and drove there,&#8221; Bentkowski recounted. &#8220;I spoke with District 3 CPD or transit police who asked if I was related to Grace Bentkowski.&#8221; At that moment she was still alive but ultimately succumbed despite surgery efforts. &#8220;My first reaction was disbelief,&#8221; said her father. &#8220;I assumed if someone were hit by a departing train it wouldn&#8217;t be too severe\u2014maybe just a broken leg\u2014but this is every parent&#8217;s worst nightmare.&#8221; He mentioned that video footage from the incident showed no warning signals prior to impact: \u201cThere were no sounds; all you hear is just a thud before the engineer sounded his horn.\u201d The family is now pushing for improved safety measures at the station: \u201cThis is 2024; it&#8217;s unacceptable not to have &#8216;stop, look, listen&#8217; signs\u2014it makes no sense,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n<p>In response to this tragedy, The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District announced plans for additional warning signs: \u201cWe are consulting with an engineering firm about what it will take to implement active warnings at pedestrian crossings,\u201d they informed WGN-TV. \u201cIn addition, we will be installing warning signage and will introduce whistle boards for trains approaching crossings even though it&#8217;s not legally required.\u201d NewsNation expressed their sorrow over Grace&#8217;s passing in their statement: \u201cGrace Bentkowski was an emerging talent here; her enthusiasm for journalism and eagerness to learn inspired those around her.\u201d They added they are heartbroken for her family and loved ones and assured she would always hold a special place in their hearts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2324752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Budding-journalist-killed.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5157,38193,38194],"class_list":["post-2324751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-journalism","tag-newsnation","tag-trainaccident"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Budding-journalist-killed.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324751","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2324751"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2324751\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2324751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2324751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2324751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}