An ‘empathic and kind’ father and his two sons were fatally struck by Amtrak train in Bucks County

It was quiet at the Bristol SEPTA station the day after three family members were killed after being struck by an Amtrak train Thursday evening, with passengers calmly boarding cars heading toward Philadelphia and the Bucks County community mourning the deaths.

There were no obvious signs of the tragedy that resulted in the deaths of Christopher Cramp, 56; David Cramp, 31; and Thomas Cramp, 24. The Bucks County Coroner’s Office identified the victims Friday afternoon, ruling the youngest victim’s death a suicide, and the other deaths accidental. The victims were a father and his two sons, the coroner’s office confirmed.

Both sides of the track were open Friday, with Amtrak trains whizzing by. Around 12:20 p.m., a group of Amtrak workers cleared the way for a crew of four men to walk from the station platform down to the tracks, armed with trash bags, cleanup tools, and what appeared to be bottles of bleach.

The eldest Cramp worked for the county as a project coordinator dealing with the area’s unhoused population and residents with mental health issues, Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said at a Friday news conference. Ellis-Marseglia described Christopher Cramp, who she also said was a volunteer firefighter, as an “irreplaceable member” of the county’s social services team who had the ability to “affect people’s lives.” He began working for the county in September, but had experience as an outreach coordinator dating back years, she said.

“He was empathic and kind,” Ellis-Marseglia said. “He had the kind of gift that he could talk to people, and they were drawn to him, and they were willing to change and get involved in programs with him.”

Nicholas Emeigh, associate executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Bucks County, said Friday that Christopher Cramp was dedicated to serving the area’s unhoused population, and was a constant presence at the alliance’s events.

“Chris took his personal struggles in his life and transformed them into a mission and a purpose to just help other people constantly,” Emeigh said at the news conference. “It just leaves a huge gap in the community.”

The elder Cramp wrote about his struggles with mental health and his recovery and later helping others in the spring 2015 newsletter of the Community Support Program of Bucks County. At the time, he was working full-time at Penndel Mental Health Center.

In 2001, Christopher Cramp said, he was in a hospital for his mental health and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He then described years “faking” his well-being while his situation got worse. He said he got hurt at work in 2010 and became suicidal.

Christopher Cramp said he eventually spent 10 days at Lower Bucks Hospital, and then was sent to Penndel Mental Health Center for aftercare. As his recovery progressed, he said, a staff member told him to try a certified peer specialist training class.

He obtained the certification and was “helping others in their recovery journey.” He also said he was able to clean up his credit report, take his first vacation in 12 years, and enroll in college.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s your recovery — you just have to keep moving forward toward it day after day,” he concluded.

America Hose, Hook & Ladder Company #2 posted a statement on Facebook Friday evening describing Christopher Cramp as “life member, trustee, firefighter, and friend,” and calling him “pillar in our community.”

The volunteer firefighting company added: “In his career and personal time, he dedicated his life to helping those that were homeless and had mental health issues. His dedication, courage and commitment to serving our community will never be forgotten.”

Christopher Cramp was “a public servant of the highest order and a great friend to the Human Services community,” Bucks County deputy director of communications James O’Malley said in a statement. His death, O’Malley added, was “deeply felt” in the area.

“It’s a big loss for the county,” Ellis-Marseglia said.

A GoFundMe fundraiser benefiting the Cramp family, which the company verified was legitimate, was launched Friday. Organized by family friends, it described the victims as “beloved members” of the Bristol community who would be deeply missed.

Amtrak spokesperson Kelly Just said that Amtrak train 85 was traveling from Boston to Richmond, Va., “when three individuals on the track came into contact with the train at Bristol” around 6:10 p.m. Thursday.

“Unfortunately, 3 people were struck and killed on the tracks” by an Amtrak train, Ralph DiGuiseppe III, mayor of Bristol Borough, said in an email.

None of the 236 passengers or crew onboard the train were hurt, Just said.

SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said his agency suspended service on its Trenton line following the incident. The agency was cleared to resume service on the line late Thursday night, and resumed regular service Friday morning. No other SEPTA lines were directly impacted.

Amtrak announced around 10:45 p.m. Thursday that tracks between Philadelphia and New York were open, but all services through the area would be operating at restricted speeds.

Thursday’s fatal incident was the second involving an Amtrak train in the county in two days. On Wednesday, an Amtrak train fatally struck a person near the Cornwells Heights Station in Bensalem in what the coroner’s office determined was a suicide.