BRANDON, Fla. — Unimaginable. That is how a pastor is describing the tragedy one Hillsborough County family is facing.

The mother of 17-year-old Jamar Bond said he’s the Brandon High School student who died after being hit by a train last week. 

“Jamar, he was a fun-loving person. Everyone who came in contact with him loved him,” said his mother, Jewell McMillan.

What You Need To Know

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said a 17-year-old Brandon High School student was fatally injured after being hit by a CSX train on January 8

Family identified the victim as Jamar Bond

Jamar’s mother describes him as a fun-loving teen with an infectious smile who wanted to take care of her and his twin sisters

The sheriff’s office said investigators are still working to determine what happened, but it does appear Jamar was hit as he tried to jump out of the way of the train

McMillan told Spectrum News she wants people to know what made her son so special in life.

“He had a job. He was working,” she said. “His goal – he wanted to take care of me and his sisters so that I didn’t have to work because he saw me working all the time.”

Jamar’s death is harder to talk about.

“I really don’t have the words right now,” McMillan said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to the train tracks near Lakewood Dr. on the morning of January 8 just before 8:30. It was there HCSO said they found a teenager who was hit by a CSX train. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died the next day. A sheriff’s office spokesperson said the name of the teen isn’t being released because the investigation is still active, but McMillan identified the victim as her son.

“This is unimaginable for any human to have to deal with, God forbid, a mom,” said Pastor Elvis Piggott, a family friend.

The sheriff’s office said the teen was walking on the tracks toward Brandon High School when the train came up behind him. Investigators are still working to determine what happened, but HCSO said he tried to jump out of the way. The sheriff’s office also noted there was dense fog in the area that morning, and headphones were found near the teen. 

While the investigation continues, Jamar’s family is left to mourn the loss of a young man they say stepped up as a protector of his mom and twin sisters after his father died, looked forward to graduating next year, and was a light to those who knew him.

“If you came in contact with him, you would’ve loved him, his smile. He had a very contagious smile about him, and it just brightened up the room,” said McMillan.

A spokesperson for Hillsborough County Public Schools said grief counselors are available for all students at Brandon High School and that the principal visited classrooms on Friday.

His family says they also plan to establish a foundation in his name. A web site currently directing visitors to the fundraiser, but a family member said more details about the foundation and its youth-focused initiatives will follow in the weeks ahead.