A 33-year-old Ohio man is being remembered as a hero after his family and a girl’s relatives said he used his body to shield a 12-year-old from an oncoming train, a moment they believe saved her life but cost him his own.
The death of Dalton McMillen has drawn attention far beyond Marion, where the collision happened the night of Feb. 13 near the Kenton Avenue railroad crossing. Police and the train operator, CSX, are investigating how the two pedestrians ended up near the tracks and what happened in the seconds before impact. The girl, identified by her family as McKenna, survived with serious injuries and has been recovering after being pulled from beneath the train, relatives said.
Police said the incident was reported around 8:40 p.m. Fri., Feb. 13, when the railroad company contacted authorities to report that a train had struck two pedestrians near Kenton Avenue. Officers arrived and found McMillen dead at the scene, police said. The girl was badly hurt and needed to be extricated from beneath the train before she could be taken for treatment, according to statements and accounts shared by her family. She was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Columbus, relatives said.
Angel Franklin, McKenna’s grandmother, said the girl and McMillen were walking close to the tracks on their way to buy candy at a Marion store when the train hit them. Franklin said the pair were pulled under the train during the collision. In the days that followed, Franklin said McKenna told her that McMillen protected her in the instant they were struck, using his body as a shield. “It’s a true miracle she’s here,” Franklin said, describing her granddaughter’s survival while calling McMillen’s actions the reason the child lived.
Family members said McKenna’s injuries were severe but survivable. Franklin and other relatives said the girl suffered a concussion and a brain bleed and spent time in intensive care. Her condition improved enough that she was later able to return home to continue recovering, her family said. Relatives said doctors expected her to heal, though they cautioned that recovery could take time. Police have not released medical information about the child, and officials have withheld details that could identify her, citing privacy concerns because she is a minor.
McMillen’s family described him as a father and a longtime family friend who was woven into their daily lives. Franklin said McMillen was close to her family and was trusted around their children. In interviews, relatives described him as dependable and protective, the kind of person who stepped in without being asked. His sister, Holly Wheeler-McMillen, wrote in an online fundraiser that the family was “completely devastated” by his death and called him a hero for laying down his life to save a child. She said the family’s grief has been compounded by the suddenness of the loss and by the unsettling question of why anyone was near the tracks at night.
CSX confirmed the train crew reported the collision when the train “came into contact with two individuals” who were on the tracks near Kenton Avenue, according to a statement shared in published reports. The company said the crew was not injured. CSX extended condolences to those affected and said it would continue to support local law enforcement as the investigation continues. The company also emphasized rail safety, noting that trains cannot stop quickly and that the only safe place to cross tracks is at a designated public crossing.
Marion police said the investigation was ongoing and they had no further updates in the days after the collision. Authorities did not immediately say whether the pedestrians were walking on the tracks, along the rail bed, or crossing at an area not intended for foot traffic. They also did not say whether any barriers, lights, or gates were involved at the location, or what visibility conditions were like at the time. Investigators typically examine factors such as the train’s speed, the crew’s actions, the location of impact, and any video or witness accounts that might explain why people were in the train’s path.
The circumstances have stirred a mix of sorrow and disbelief among people who know the family. Relatives said McMillen was a familiar presence who helped with day-to-day life and was often around children in the home. Franklin said her granddaughter had gone with him on a short trip to the store for candy, something that felt ordinary until it ended in catastrophe. Family members said that detail has been difficult to process because it highlights how quickly routine moments can turn into tragedy near rail lines.
Friends and relatives have shared stories of McMillen’s humor and steadiness, describing a man who made people laugh and kept showing up for others. Some relatives said he had a creative streak and strong ties to music, spending years writing, producing, and collaborating with family members. His cousin, Nosakhere Andrews, said McMillen treated him like a brother and helped him build confidence and skill as an artist. Andrews said McMillen’s support went beyond music and extended into everyday life. “Anything I needed him to do for me, he would do it,” Andrews said in an interview.
In the days after the collision, the family’s grief has unfolded alongside the child’s recovery. Franklin said she has been grateful for the medical care her granddaughter received and for the support from neighbors, friends, and people who did not know the family but reached out after hearing the story. At the same time, she said she has struggled with the reality that McMillen is gone. She described him as the kind of person who did not hesitate to protect a child, and she said that devotion defined him more than any label or job title could.
Online fundraisers were created to help both families with expenses stemming from the tragedy. One fundraiser was organized to help cover McKenna’s medical costs, and another was started for McMillen’s family, relatives said. Supporters have used the fundraisers to share messages about McMillen’s character and to express hope for McKenna’s recovery. The families have said the outpouring has helped, but they also said no amount of support can undo what happened that night.
The incident has renewed attention on the dangers around railroad tracks, especially in places where people may cut across rail lines or walk along them as a shortcut. Rail corridors can look quiet in the evening, but trains move faster than many people expect and can approach with less warning than a roadway vehicle. Investigators and rail safety advocates often stress that even when a crossing is nearby, pedestrians who leave designated paths can put themselves in danger because trains cannot swerve and require long distances to stop.
For Marion, the collision has become a story of both heartbreak and sacrifice. Residents have followed updates about McKenna’s condition and the tributes to McMillen, whose death has been framed by relatives as an act of protection in a moment of terror. People who knew him have described feeling stunned that a familiar face is suddenly at the center of a fatal incident that unfolded in seconds.
Police and CSX have not said when they expect to complete their investigation or whether any formal findings will be released. For now, relatives said they are focused on two immediate realities: supporting a child through recovery and grieving a man they say died trying to keep her alive. The family said McKenna’s condition has continued to improve, even as they prepare for a longer period of healing and follow-up care.
Author note: Last updated February 20, 2026.